To Never Say Goodbye
by Kagome5
Summary: When Kenshin gets phnemonia and is at the edge of death, it's up to Kaoru to get him back...or else be lost forever from her heart
1. Chapter One The flowers lovely as Kaoru

Chapter One- The flowers as lovely as Kaoru~

The sun shown brightly on that day so far in the spring.

The light breeze blew through dark hair let loose without ribbons.

Kaoru tilted her head and smelt the new morning air.

It was so fresh.

So clean.

So wonderful.

Her heart sang in a tone of beauty as she sat outside her room and stared up at the blue sky.

She smiled.

"It's so lovely today. I can't believe it's been so long since I've been this happy." She wondered aloud to herself.

"Kaoru! You're still not dressed??!! My lessons begin to 10 minutes, you know!!!" Yahiko's voice tuned in.

Kaoru couldn't be mad at him or annoyed, even if she tried!

She turned to him with a grin. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot! Let me get dressed, alright? I'll be out shortly!"

She stood up and went into her room, closing the screens behind her.

Yahiko blinked in confusion. "Whoa….she's so happy today!" He stated to himself.

He looked up at the sky as two birds flew through the clouds. "Well, I guess I'm pretty happy too today. Who knows why. Maybe it's because spring has finally started to show itself this year!"

The flowers in the courtyard danced in the breeze.

Outside the dojo walls, children sang and skipped along on the road with their mothers.

Everything was so peaceful in Tokyo that day.

It was about 10:45 a.m., and already everyone was up and busy.

"I'm ready, Yahiko!" Kaoru's spoke from her screen doors.

Yahiko turned and found her in her practice kimono, boken at hand.

He smiled. "Alright! Let's start now, okay?"

Kaoru returned to smile and nodded, and they both ran off to practice in the front yard.

Since it was such an unusually perfect day, they didn't wanna waste it indoors.

"By the way, Yahiko, things are really quiet today. Where is everyone?" Kaoru questioned her student as they began the Kamiya exercises.

"Oh yeah! I was supposed to tell you! Sanoske won't be seen today because he's heading out of town with some of his gambling buddies…most likely to get drunk. Magumi and Dr. Genzai have a patient to take care of across town, so they'll be busy all day, so this morning Magumi brought over Ayame and Sazume for Kenshin to baby-sit." Yahiko explained.

Kaoru blinked and paused her drills. "If Kenshin's baby-sitting Ayame and Sazume, then where is he? He's usually doing laundry or playing hide-and-seek with the girls at this time."

Yahiko stopped his drills as well. "To tell you the truth I haven't seen Kenshin _OR _the girls all of today! I woke up around the time Magumi came to drop them off. I went to say hi to her, but she was the only one outside at that time. Kenshin, Ayame, and Sazume were gone somewhere."

Kaoru sighed and sat down on the ground. "Suppose they went shopping without me??? I would hate that!"

Yahiko rolled his eyes and continued his practice. "Oh come on, Kaoru! They're probably just shopping for food. Nothing special. And besides, if they _WERE _shopped for something special, they most likely wanted to get out of here before you woke up because they knew that you'd spend all the yin!! HAHAHA!"

Kaoru stood up and smacked Yahiko in the head.

"OUUCH!!! WHAT WAS _THAT _FOR??!!" He screeched and rubbed his head.

Kaoru turned away from the boy, and cleaned her face of the anger expression.

She saw the white clouds dancing through the blue heavens above.

"Well…let's finish the drills, okay?" She said again, turning back around.

Yahiko stared up at her, a bit confused. "Uh…okay. Sure."

The breezes that hit Kaoru were flying through the streets of Tokyo, and hit Kenshin's back as he stood in front of a newspaper stand with Ayame and Sazume at hand.

"Uncle Ken!! Uncle Ken!! Look at that one!! It's so cute!!" Ayame jumped up and down, Sazume doing the same as her sister.

Kenshin laughed and picked up a little paper doll set. "This one?" 

Ayame smiled brightly. "Oh Uncle Ken! It's sooo pretty!"

Kenshin winked at the brown-headed girl, and then smiled at the stand owner. "I'll take this one, that I will! And this newspaper as well."

After he paid up, he handed the paper doll set to Ayame with a gentle grin.

"You mean it Uncle Ken???!!" She exclaimed.

He nodded. "It's all yours! Sazume already got what she wanted today, that she did, so please enjoy what _you _want, okay?"

Ayame couldn't express her happiness except to hug Kenshin's leg, and then show Sazume what she had gotten.

The much younger child showed off her item as well. A pin-wheel that spun in the wind.

"Well now, shall we got the tofu from Miss Tae and head home?" Kenshin questioned the two girls under him.

They both cheered at the idea, and then Kenshin led them to the Accebeko.

In the front, Tsubome swept the front step. "Oh, good morning, Mr. Himura!" She spoke shyly.

Kenshin grinned at the girl only Yahiko's age. "Good morning to you too, Miss Tsubome. Is Miss Tae available?"

Tsubome nodded with a smile. "Oh yes! She told me to watch for you. Please come in!"

Inside, the Accebeko was a bit slow. Only a few customers were eating breakfast here and there in their sitting rooms.

Tae came out from the back a few moments later. "Ah! Kenshin! I'm so glad you could make it today. This tofu needed a good place to go to, and I knew you'd be glad to use it for dinners! There's 20 pounds of it!"

Kenshin smile broadened. "Oh good! Then I'll be able to use it more then once, that I will! Thank you so much, Miss Tae!"

Tae nodded and asked Tsubome to go get the package from the ice-box.

"Oh! So I see you've been out shopped, have you?" Tae began to speak, as she noticed Ayame and Sazume's items.

Kenshin smiled. "Yeah. I'm baby-sitting the girls today, so I figured I'd take them into town with me."

Tae looked behind Kenshin and out the door. "Why isn't Miss Kaoru with you today? She loves to shop. I know she would have enjoyed herself today."

Kenshin smiled less-broad. "Miss Kaoru was sleeping when I left this morning into town with the girls. I didn't want to disturb her, you see."

Tae nodded. "Ah, I see then. She'll be disappointed, but ah well."

Kenshin sighed. "Now I feel bad about not waking her. I wish there was something I could do for her to make it up!"

Tae thought for a moment as Tsubome brought out the tofu and handed it to Kenshin.

Her light-bulb went on after a moment in mind. "I think I know exactly what to do, Kenshin. Come with me. Tsubome, watch the girls, alright?"

She led Kenshin into the back room, and then out the back door.

Outside the sun fell over Kenshin from above.

"What do you have in mind, Miss Tae?" He questioned.

She grinned and walked over to a small wooden cart parked in the alley.

"I told the man that came in today that I would be glad to watch his cart while he went off to find an inn." She explained.

She went and opened it up, and to Kenshin's surprise, freshly picked flowers from the mountains were inside, colored and most certainly rare!

"Aren't they just gorgeous? I imagine he's going to sell them tomorrow, seeing as it's going to be Saturday, a major shopping day. But I figure, since I'm watching them for him, I'll pay him when he gets back, and you can pick some out for Miss Kaoru!"

Kenshin smiled cheerily again. "If it's not too much trouble…thank you so much, Miss Tae! They're all so beautiful! I can't possibly choose one for her!"

Tae pointed out that he could make a bouquet and pay her back later.

He did just that.

He choose the most beautiful ones he could find, putting 2 blue ones in the middle, because they matched Kaoru's eyes.

"Thank you so much, Miss Tae, again. I hope she enjoys them." He exclaimed again before leaving with the girls.

Tae and Tsubome bowed and waved good-bye.

"I'm sure she'll adore you for them! See you later, you guys!" Tae called to them.

After Kenshin and the girls went out of sight through he crowd, Tsubome looked up at Tae. "Miss Tae? Why did you offer Kenshin the flowers?"

Tae smiled down at her young employee. "Well, Tsubome, sometimes things can't be explained very well. Kenshin needed something…to give to Miss Kaoru today, you see. I'm sure she'll love them." She winked.

Tsubome stared, then grinned as they went back inside the Accebeko to take care of more customers.

~Back at the dojo~

Yahiko was in his normal clothes now, laying on the front porch. The sun shinning down into his face.

"We're home!" Kenshin sounded all of a sudden.

Yahiko sat up as Ayame and Sazume jumped through the dojo gates and showed Yahiko what Kenshin had bought them.

"Dang, Kenshin. You better not tell Kaoru you got the girls stuff, or else she'll be _MORE _upset then she already is!" Yahiko informed.

Kenshin blinked. "What do you mean?"

Yahiko sighed. "Oh! This morning during practice I told her that you were probably in town shopped with Ayame and Sazume, and she wished she had gone with you if she had known."

Kenshin lowered his head. "Did she now? Well, I'm sure she'll feel much better after I give these to her."

Yahiko looked up as Kenshin pulled from on of the bags on his right arm the bouquet of flowers.

The boy's eyes widened. "Oh man…she'll be happy! Forget what I said a moment ago!"

Ayame and Sazume giggled. "Hehehe! Auntie Kaoru's gonna be so happy when Uncle Ken gives her her flowers. They're really pretty, just like her!"

Yahiko stared at them, and then back at Kenshin with a crafty grin. "You told them that, didn't you? That the flowers were pretty like Kaoru, right?"

Kenshin froze. "Oro?! I don't know what you're talking about, Yahiko, that I don't!" He was blushing furiously.

Yahiko shook his head. "You're hopeless, Kenshin."

Kenshin laughed, then asked Yahiko to put the flowers in water and set them in Kaoru's room.

Just as Yahiko did so though, the girls following him, Kaoru stepped out from the other side of the dojo, carrying the broom with her.

She had been sweeping the dojo porches up, and had the front porch left to do.

"Oh! Kenshin! You're home!" Kaoru smiled to him when she saw him standing in the front yard.

Kenshin turned and caught her smile.

The word "home" was still so wonderful to his ears.

He grinned back at her softly. "Miss Kaoru!"

Kaoru set the broom on the side of the dojo wall and walked up to him. "Did you have fun downtown with the girls?"

Kenshin blinked, trying to get grasp on reality. "Oh! Yes, as a matter of fact. I'm sorry for not waking you though. Yahiko told me you were upset."

Kaoru shook her head. "Oh no! It's alright, really! I was just being stubborn this morning."

"Well, on the bright side I got 20 pounds of tofu for us!" Kenshin changed the subject.

Kaoru smiled. "Oh. Thank you, Kenshin. I imagine Tae gave it to you for free?"

Kenshin nodded.

Yahiko had come back from his mission now and was just watching from the porch as Kenshin and Kaoru had a normal, not to mention **BORING **conversation.

He sighed. "Geez, you'd think they'd have something more interesting to talk about other then what they've been doing today."

He felt a tug on his kimono sleeve. "Yahiko! Wanna play paper dolls with me and Sazume?" Ayame asked as she knelt down beside him.

Yahiko raised an eye-brow. "Uh…not really. Sorry. I'm goin for a walk now anyway."

Kaoru turned to Yahiko now and stared. "Why are you walking? Don't you wanna stay here and help me finish up the chores??!!"

Yahiko sniffed and walked past Kaoru. "Why don't you get into some _NORMAL _clothes, Kaoru!"

Kaoru looked down at herself, seeing the practice clothes still on and dirty.

She blushed angrily. "YOU MEAN TO SAY I DON'T LOOK JUST FINE THE WAY I LOOK NOW???!!! HUH??????????"

Yahiko was already out the gates and walking down the street,

Kenshin grinned, knowing the real reason why Yahiko had suggested Kaoru go to her room and change.

Kaoru sighed. "Fine. I'll be right back."

Kenshin's smile grew at this, knowing that shortly…Kaoru would find her surprise.

Before Kaoru left, she noticed the overly-happy expression on his face.

A bit confused she asked him to finish up the sweeping, then headed off again.

Kenshin was happy to finish up for her.

Ayame watched from the porch as Kaoru left. "Uncle Ken! She's gonna find them now, huh?" She whispered.

Kenshin nodded and put a finger to his lips. "Shhhhh."

The two girls giggled, and returned to their playing.

~With Kaoru~

Kaoru walked towards her door.

Her feet were bare on the wooden porch as she approached.

She let out a small sigh once she reached the door.

She opened the door, and right in front of her lie the bouquet of flowers, shimmering with beauty in the afternoon sunlight.

Her mouth dropped open, and she fell to her knees.

"Th…They're so beautiful…" She whispered to herself. "But who could have.."

A shadow fell over her then and she looked up behind her.

Kenshin was standing there smiling.

Kaoru knew it was him.

She got to her feet and turned to face him.

Her smile was as bright as ever. 

Kenshin didn't know what to expect of her.

She suddenly brought her arms up and wrapped them around his neck. "I don't deserve them."

Kenshin just stood there.

He had only been held by Kaoru briefly in the past…but never so lightly and full-heartedly as this.

He liked it.

So much he didn't want to let go when she let go of his neck and let her arms fall to her sides.

"Miss Kaoru, of course you deserve them! They're the least I could do for you since I left without you today!" He explained himself, trying not to sound too happy.

Kaoru lowered her head.

Her heart beat in a strange sort of rhythm she had always longed to feel. "Thank you…" She managed to say.

Kenshin nodded.

"Hey Kenshin!!!!! Come here a minute!!!!!!" Yahiko's voice sounded from the front yard.

Kenshin's smile vanished.

Not that he wasn't glad Yahiko needed him for something…he just wanted to stay there.

Kaoru looked towards the front. "You're being paged. I'm going to get in the bath and relax. I'll see you later!"

Kenshin quickly pushed his disappointment aside and smiled as Kaoru turned and went into her room.

"KENSHIN!!!!!!" Yahiko cried out again.

Kenshin blinked, and then rushed down the porch to see what Yahiko wanted.

As he turned the corner of the house, Kaoru opened her door and peeked out at him as he disappeared.

She looked back at her flowers and grinned before gathering up her clothes and heading for the bathhouse across the courtyard.

~Are yah liking it so far?? I AM! Please continue reading! ^_^~

~Smile B~


	2. Chapter Two A feeling of never seeing y...

~Chapter Two- A feeling of never seeing you again as you walked off in the wind~

Yahiko was standing in the front yard holding the newspaper Kenshin had bought that day in his hands.

"What is it Yahiko?" Kenshin questioned once he had reached the boy.

"Check it out! It says here that there's gonna be this huge storm rolling in soon! Can you believe that???" Yahiko explained, pointing to a column in the black and white print.

Kenshin looked up at the sky.

Not a cloud in sight!

Just blue for as far as the eye could see!

"That is a bit strange, Yahiko. But why is it such a big deal? We'll get a storm, so we'll just stay in doors all day." Kenshin informed.

Yahiko shook his head. "Bad things happen when it storms like it says it's gonna. Thunder, lightening, rain turning into hail, high winds. It may be just a superstition, but I just thought I'd let you know that things won't be as safe as they are now."

Kenshin put a hand on Yahiko's shoulder. "You worry too much! I gotta go fix dinner now, I do, so you go back to whatever you were doing."

With that cheerful smile on his face, Kenshin departed to the kitchen inside the dojo.

Yahiko stood in the yard still, staring at the paper. *Bad things happen when it storms. Be careful.* He told himself in thought.

Suddenly, a sharp wind picked up.

"Oh no!!!! My doll!!" Ayame exclaimed from the porch as one of the paper dolls she had cut out flew up onto the air stream and was being carried away.

Yahiko took off running after it.

He jumped up onto the woodpile in the courtyard and leaped up, grabbing it in thin air.

Ayame and Sazume ran to him to retrieve the doll. "Thank you so much, Yahiko! You saved her!" Ayame stated. 

"Yeah! You saved her!" Sazume jumped up, copying her sister.

Yahiko grinned down at them and handed Ayame the doll.

As the two girls ran back to the porch, Yahiko felt the wind once again. *Bad things….*

~With Kaoru~

Kaoru pulled on her kimono, her hair wrapped up with a towel.

She tied the obi around her waste, and walked to her room.

Inside, the flowers still sat.

She knelt down on her knees comfortably, and smelt them.

They were so fresh! Even the due hadn't evaporated yet!

She imagined they were from the Fuji mountains.

All the flowers were blooming up there by the waterfalls.

She had always heard of these blossoms, but never in her life had she received a whole bouquet of them!

"I have to repay you somehow…" She spoke aloud as she thought of Kenshin in her mind.

She fell onto her futon and held her eyes shut.

His image was so wonderful in her mind.

"….Kenshin…." She whispered to herself.

Just then, the wind picked up outside and rattled her screen doors!

She at up and waited for it to stop.

"That's strange." She stated to herself before getting up and heading for the kitchen.

~With Kenshin~

The tofu on the counter smelt good as Kenshin began to chop it, his sleeves tied back with string.

He hummed a tune and didn't notice the wind blowing outside.

He was in too good of mood to notice anything wrong with the day.

Kaoru walked in a minute later, her hair still wrapped up with the towel. 

She didn't mind Kenshin seeing her in such a state. They were much too close now for it to even matter.

She could roll around in the mud all night and never wash and it wouldn't matter to him. He would just laugh playfully.

Kaoru smiled when she saw Kenshin in such a good frame of mind.

"Oh Yummy! So we're having the tofu tonight?" She questioned, peering over his shoulder.

Kenshin turned to her and nodded. "There's plenty more though. We'll have enough to last through the storm."

Kaoru blinked. "What storm?"

"Yahiko told me that the paper read that a bad storm was rolling in. Rain, hail, wind, thunder, lightening….the works." Kenshin explained.

Kaoru looked out the door. "So that explains the wind picking up out there. I was in my room and it was rattling the screen doors! Freaked me out."

Kenshin stopped chopping and looked out the door too. "I hadn't even noticed that. The strange thing is Yahiko is acting strange. He says that there's some sort of superstition about storms like this. He said bad things might happen. I think he worries too much."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "He doesn't worry too much, he believes stuff like that too much! Sanoske probably told him that superstition and now it's gotten to his head! I'll just have a little talk with that roster-head when he gets back tomorrow!"

Kenshin laughed slightly and got back to his chopping.

Kaoru reached up and un-raveled the towel around her head and let her damp hair fall down her back.

Kenshin glanced over at her and thought she looked so lovely.

She wasn't trying to be as such….she just was!

She went and sat down on the slope of the floor where the shoes went on and off.

She looked up at Kenshin and noticed his smile as he continued his cooking.

She sat and just watched him work.

Her eyes wouldn't let his figure escape.

Kenshin had no clue he was being stared at, and so did his preparations normally.

"Should we have some yaki-soba (noodles) too? We still have a bit left." Kenshin questioned Kaoru.

Kaoru blinked and looked away from him as he turned around.

"Oh sure! Why not! That sounds delicious!" She replied, her cheeks blushing madly.

Outside, clouds started to build up in the sky.

It was about 5:00 p.m. when Yahiko came into the kitchen with Ayame and Sazume.

"Something smells good in here!" Yahiko exclaimed, sniffing the air.

Sazume ran over to Kenshin's side and tugged on his pant leg. "Uncle Kennie! My pin-wheel goes really really fast outside!"

Kenshin looked down at the 2 year old, and then outside himself.

Sure enough, the wind was really picking up.

"Well, looks like the newspaper didn't lie this time, that it didn't." He stated, stirring the yaki-soba in the frying pan as fire blazing inside the stove.

Yahiko looked worried from across the room.

"Yahiko, don't tell me you really believe that superstition!" Kaoru said in an exasperated voice.

Yahiko glared at Kenshin for telling her about it.

The rurouni pretended not to notice.

"Well, yeah! It's true! It's not like something _WILL _happen bad, but we just gotta be careful. That's all I'm saying."

Kaoru shook her head. "Oh geez. Sanoske's got you believing it like it's religion now!"

Yahiko put on a sarcastic look. "Sanoske didn't tell me. This old guy down town when I was taking my walk was telling it to people passing by. Everyone was paying very close attention to him like he was some sort of saint! He was wearing really nice clothes too, and had these two German bodyguards. I figured it was important and so I listened. When I go back home, I found the newspaper Kenshin had bought and looked in the weather column. It talked about the storm coming in, and I took it that you all needed to know! It's a serious issue!"

When Yahiko finished explaining, everyone was silent.

"That….old man sounds like Sir Fu-Young. He's from China, and is a great fortune teller! When he talks of superstitions, one better listen, or you might get the message wrong." Kaoru clarified. "Maybe things _do _happen bad when it storms like it is going to!"

Ayame and Sazume hugged in fear.

"See!!! Now do you all believe me!!!!" Yahiko shouted.

Kenshin wiped his hands on a cloth and then turned to everyone. "What Miss Kaoru says is true! When Sir Fu-Young speaks, one had best listen! We'll make sure to be careful when the storm rolls in, agreed Yahiko?"

Yahiko grinned up at Kenshin. "You bet! Thanks for believed me finally!"

The red-head smiled and returned to the stove.

Kaoru stared out the door now in curiosity. *Sir Fu-Young was the one that spoke of women and children dying in a flood last year on the Northern coast of Japan! It was only a month after he had predicted such a thing that it actually happened! 5 bodies were found on shore, and 12 others are missing to this day! When he predicts things like that…..it's not something innocent.* She thought to herself. *What if…..*

"Miss Kaoru?" Kenshin's voice interrupted her thoughts.

She looked up and stared into his eyes. "Yes?" Her voice cracked.

Kenshin placed a hand on her shoulder. This made her cheeks darken.

"Don't think of it. We'll all be just fine, we will." He spoke in a soft tone.

Kaoru couldn't help but follow his calming words and forget about her fearful thoughts.

At least now things were fairly calm outside.

~Later that evening~

The 5 loners sat at the dinner table in the dining room, eating quietly.

Yahiko stuffed his face with yaki-soba, Ayame was staring at the messy Sazume as she played with her food. Kenshin trying to clean the 2 year old up all at the same time.

Kaoru giggled as she watched, and sipped her tea. "It's actually sort of peaceful tonight, don't you agree?" 

After Kenshin finally reprehended Sazume by putting her in his lap, he nodded with a grin. "It is to tell you the truth. We don't have a full house like we usually do…but it's all good."

Yahiko shifted on his cushion and looked out the screen doors, that were open just a tad. "It's getting worse out there."

"Oh Yahiko, hush! I don't wanna know!" Kaoru sniffed and continued eating.

Yahiko stood up and smirked. "Why not? Are you **_AFRAID_**??"

Kaoru shot a glare up at Yahiko. "N..NO!!!! HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST THAT I AM AFRAID!!!"

She wanted to get up and chase after the boy, but she sat still.

Yahiko sarcastically laughed. "HA! Just as I thought!"

Suddenly, the wind outside rattled the screens behind Yahiko, and he jumped in fear, running to the other side of the room.

Kaoru shook her head. "Oh, oh. Now _who was _afraid again?"

Kenshin got up and peeked out the door.

It was already getting darker, and the clouds were moving in over the evening sky!

Even though it was coming close to summer, nights still fell early.

It was 7:00 p.m. then, and in one hour, the whole sky would be pitch black.

"Oh yeah, Ayame, Sazume? Did Miss Magumi say anything about if she was going to pick you up or not?" Her asked the little girls as he shut the door behind him.

Sazume tilted her head, but Ayame understood. "Yes, she did Uncle Ken! She said that if she wasn't back here after dinner to pick us up, that one of you could to take us home. Grandpa should be sleeping there already, but Auntie Magumi might still be helping the patient."

Kenshin glanced at the wall clock quickly, then nodded. "Well, it's already getting dark out there, and the storm will be setting in soon, so I think I'll take you two home now, if you say your grandfather is already there sleeping. I'll have to take care of the dishes when I get back."

Kaoru blinked after hearing this, and watched Kenshin leave the room, the two girls at hand.

She imagined he was heading for the front to put on some coats and head out!

She remembered the superstition. *Something bad……might happen.* 

She jumped up, and rushed after Kenshin and the girls.

Yahiko chocked on his tea. "HEY!!! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE IN HERE!!!"

~With Kenshin~

Kenshin had fastened 2 small coats over Ayame and Sazume, putting their items he had bought them that morning in a small bag.

He was putting his arm into one of the coats when Kaoru ran into the room. "WAIT KENSHIN!!!!"

He turned to her quickly and stared. "What's the matter, Miss Kaoru?"

Her eyes looked worried. "Um….why don't you let me take the girls home! I know you have other things to do! I'll take care of this, okay?"

Kenshin was a bit confused. "Oh no! It's alright! I'll only be gone for less then 15 minutes! I'll have plenty of time to take care of the dishes and things like that when I get back."

Kaoru's heart thumped in her chest. *15 minutes???!!!! So many horrible things could happen to you in 15 minutes…including the girls!! I'm not taking that risk!* She confirmed in her mind.

"Actually!! Uh…well…I have to stop by Tae's house!!! I just remembered! I'll take the girls home and stop by her home real quick, and be back in a flash!" She put on a fake smile.

Kenshin blinked. "Alright, Miss Kaoru. I understand." He slipped the coat off his arms and handed it to her.

He had a feeling Kaoru didn't really need to see Tae.

As Kaoru put on the coat and took Ayame and Sazume's hands, he realized she was probably worried about the superstition that something bad might happen to him if he went out.

He felt a bit of worry himself as she opened the door, and the wind picked up around her, throwing her un-tied back hair in the current.

"Does everyone have their stuff?" She asked the girls.

They smiled and held up their bags.

"Alright! Let's go!" She said in a happy tone so that the wind was of no bother to her cute little step sisters.

As she began to walk down the pathway out the gates, Kenshin stepped out on the porch, and hesitantly felt his heart skip a beat.

"M…Miss Kaoru!" He called after her.

She turned back around to face him.

"….Be careful." His voice sounded concerned.

Kaoru smiled and nodded, and then continued to walk out the gates, turning out of sight behind the wall.

Kenshin stood there in the wind for a while, continuing to watch the open gates swing back and forth in the harsh breeze.

*Why is it….* He thought to himself. *….that I feel like this is the last time I'll see her?*

~Awww!!! Poor Kenshin!!! He's afraid he'll never see Kaoru again!!! OH NO!!!! What will happen next?? Read on to find out….~

~Smile B~  



	3. Chapter Three Trapped in Heart and body

~Chapter Three-Trapped in Heart and body~

Kaoru walked through the empty streets with Ayame and Sazume, heading towards Dr. Genzai's house in the middle of town.

"Auntie Kaoru? Why do you need to see Miss Tae? Uncle Ken saw her today already." Ayame spoke up at Kaoru.

Kaoru looked down at Ayame and smiled. "If you can keep a secret, I really don't need to see Miss Tae….and I don't plan on seeing her tonight either."

Ayame stared. "Why did you lie to Uncle Ken? Grandpa says it's not good to lie to people!" 

"Yeah! Not good to lie!" Sazume spoke up, wanting to be apart of the conversation.

Kaoru sighed. "I know. One should never lie to someone else. But there is such a thing as a _good _lie. It's when you're worried about someone else, in my case anyway, and I needed an excuse for me to take you two home instead of Kenshin."

"How come?" Ayame questioned, Sazume shortly copying her sister's words.

Kaoru knew why. "Well…it's too complicated. Don't worry about it."

She wanted to keep the subject low in profile.

*Just concentrate on getting these two back to Dr. Genzai's house, and then run back home yourself. Everything will be fine…and Kenshin will be

safe.* She told herself in mind.

As they began to enter town with thicker buildings around them, Kaoru paused in her tracks, stopping the girls with her.

3 policemen on horses were talking to an old man.

"Listen here! Because of the storm rolling in fast, we're setting a curfew for tonight! No one should be out of their houses by this time onto morning! Understood old man?" They spoke harshly.

The man nodded. "Yes…thank you for informing me, good police. I would have taken my evening walk right into the hail! I'll go back inside."

"Auntie Kaoru? Did you hear that? We'll have to go back to the dojo, and grandpa won't know why we never came home! He'll be worried about us!!" Ayame said in worry.

Kaoru watched as the police began to head their way. "Don't worry, you two! I'll get you home! The police are over-reacting! The storm won't even get bad until later on tonight! Sure, it's a little windy, but nothing to be afraid of!"

She then pulled them into the trees beside the pathway as the police rode by on their horses.

After they were well down the street in the other direction, Kaoru decided to take the forest path to Dr. Genzai's house. 

"This'll be faster too, so I'll have you two home in no time." She assured the young ones as she walked through the trees.

As minutes rolled by, the darkness of the soon stormy night fell across them, and a chill of fear ran up Kaoru's spine.

The limbs in the trees above their heads creaked and groaned.

The shadows were everywhere around them.

Left over autumn leaves flew past.

Kaoru could feel Ayame and Sazume's hands tighten in her grasp.

"How much further?" Ayame finally whimpered.

Kaoru look ahead of them.

It was so dark! But she could see some lights about a hundred yards ahead.

"There! I'm sure that's Dr. Genzai's neighborhood. You'll be home in less then 5 minutes." She spoke with a bit of relief herself.

All of a sudden though, the wind that was harsh grew into a monster in less then a blink of an eye!!!

The girls cried out in fear as the trees overhead screeched as if they were about to fall.

The wind didn't die down though after about 30 seconds like it usually did! It kept raging….harder every moment!

It wasn't until Kaoru's coat flew off her very back into the sky, and she raised her head to watch it, that she saw what was falling towards her from the limbs!!!!

"GET OUT OF THE WAY AYAME AND SAZUME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed as she shoved the girls out of the path of a huge branch torn off from one of the trees!!!

The wind finally died down after that, and Ayame opened her eyes from where she had been pushed to from Kaoru.

Sazume lay beside her.

She looked up and saw the humongous branch laying in the pathway, where they would have been killed if it had hit them.

"Thanks for pushing us out of the way, Auntie Kaoru!" Ayame smiled and turned back around, expecting to find Kaoru standing beside Sazume.

But no one was there.

No one in sight!!

"Auntie….Kaoru?" Ayame asked the air again.

Sazume opened her eyes and looked up at Ayame.

She helped her little sister up from the ground and brushed her off.

"Where's Auntie Kaoru??!! Did you see where she landed???" Ayame exclaimed.

Sazume shook her head. "Auntie Kaoru's not here?"

Ayame searched her young mind, and her eyes widened in fear after a moment.

She turned back around to face the fallen branch. "Oh no….." She spoke in terror.

"AUNTIE KAORU!!!!!!" She ran over to the branch, and all the way around it.

There, laying on the ground unconscious….was Kaoru.

Tears filled Ayame's eyes. "NO!!! AUNITE KAORU!!!!!" She fell to her knees and nudged her older sister figure gently.

No response.

She looked about her and ran over to the branch.

She tried to push it from Kaoru's left leg, which had been trapped underneath the weight. But it was much too heavy for her.

"Sazume!!!! We have to go get grandpa and Auntie Magumi!!!" 

Sazume blinked. "Why?"

"Don't ask questions, just come on!!!!!!" Ayame screamed as she grabbed hold of Sazume's hand and ran with her up the path.

As the girls ran out of sight, Kaoru lay there motionless.

The wind picked up again, but only slightly.

Her bangs brushed over her face.

She was as silent as ever…..but inside, she was screamed with fear.

~With Ayame and Sazume~

The 2 girls threw the screen doors open and ran into the main office-room.

"GRANDPA!!!!! AUNITYE MAGUMI!!!!!! They cried out.

"Shhh. Your grandfather is sleeping. So I see Sir Ken finally brought you home? Did he leave already?" Magumi was sitting on a cushion drinking home tea when the girls ran in.

"NO!!!! UNCLE KEN DIDN'T BRING US!!! AUNTIE KAORU DID!!!!" Ayame exclaimed in panic.

"Hush now! What's wrong? Where is Kaoru?" Magumi placed her hands on the girls' shoulders.

Ayame's eyes filled with tears. "W…We…Where…where coming home…and….it was in the forest…and…and…the wind started to blow really hard…and then this branch fell, and Auntie Kaoru pushed us out of the way, and we thought she had gotten away too, but…but….SHE GOT TRAPPED UNERNEATH THE BRANCH AND SHE'S NOT AWAKE!!!!" After explained the best she could, Ayame broke out in tears, and Sazume did so as well.

"OH MY GOD!!!!" Magumi stood up. "WHERE DID YOU LEAVE HER AT??!!!"

Ayame took Magumi's hand and led her to the backdoor where they had come in.

She pointed off into the night fallen forest.

"Okay!!! Hold tight, I'm gonna tell your grandfather and then we'll go find her, okay?? Does Sir Ken know about this????" Magumi stated quickly.

Ayame shook her head.

Magumi took no time in replying.

She ran to Dr. Genzai's room and thrashed the screen open.

"SOMETHING'S HAPPEN TO KAORU OUT IN THE FOREST!!! THERE'S NO TIME TO EXPLAIN!!!! HURRY TO THE DOJO AND MEET US THERE!!! WE'LL BRIGN KAORU!!!"

Dr. Genzai sat up quickly, fully awake.

"No….Kaoru!!!"

~About 7 minutes later~

Ayame and Sazume pulled Magumi by her hands into the forest, leading her to where they had left Kaoru.

Ayame finally stopped in a clearing where a branch had fallen, and thought that it was so familiar, it must be the place!

She ran to the other side, but to her shock, Kaoru wasn't there!!

"Are you sure this is where you left her, girls?" Magumi asked in concern.

Ayame looked around her.

Things looked so much the same in the dark, she couldn't tell!!

"I…I don't know!! I thought this was the place! It looks just like it!" Ayame covered her eyes with her hands as she began to cry again.

"Hey! Look!!!" Little Sazume exclaimed, pointing up to a coat hanging up in the trees.

"That's the coat Auntie Kaoru was wearing!! She _HAD _to have been here!!!" Ayame confirmed.

Magumi stood up and looked around her. "The weather's getting bad. Maybe…just maybe, Kaoru woke up after you left her and managed to pull herself out from under the branch, and headed back to the dojo! Let's go there and see, okay? We'll probably get there before your grandfather, and Kaoru is most-likely safe right now. We can't risk our own lives standing out here in the woods though! Come on!"

She grabbed hold of the girl's arms and headed towards town to get on the main street.

As Ayame was pulled away with her sister, she looked back at the branch. *…Auntie Kaoru…*

~10 minutes later~

Kenshin knelt on his knees finishing up the dishes in a water tub.

Outside the wind rushed by at top speeds.

It was the first time since winter that he had to close the doors to the kitchen. It was usually left open.

He finished the last of the plates, and began to put them away one by one.

*It's been over a half an hour now.* Hr thought to himself, staring at the plate in his hands. *Maybe she stayed to visit with Dr. Genzai and Miss Magumi. I know she didn't go to Tae's house.*

He remembered Kaoru saying that she would be back in a flash.

Some flash this was.

A pinch of worry was in the back of his mind and feelings, but he tried to tell himself that everything was fine, and that even though one of the greatest fortune tellers in all of Asia, Sir Fu-Young, had predicted terrible things for this storm, he had nothing to be concerned about.

"SIR KEN!!!!!!!!! SIR KEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHERE ARE YOU???!!!! YAHIKO???!!!!" The fearful voice of Miss Magumi cried out outside!!

Kenshin, forgetting to put the plate down he was holding, rushed to the front door to let Magumi in.

Yahiko came from his room to see what all the commotion was about as well.

When Kenshin opened the doors, he found a heavily breathing Magumi, Ayame, and Sazume!!!

About a second later, Dr. Genzai came through the gates as well.

"W…What's going on, Miss Magumi??!! Dr. Genzai??!!" Kenshin felt his concern building with uncertainty.

"Kaoru's come back, hasn't she? She's here, right?" Magumi breathed out, hoping for a positive answer.

It slowly began to rain outside, and everyone crowded onto the porch.

"What do you mean, Miss Magumi?? Kaoru went off with these two about 45 minutes ago to take them home!! Why have you all come back here?! Where's Miss Kaoru??" Kenshin asked these questions, starting to feel the worry growing.

"AUNTIE KAORU'S NOT HERE!!! WHERE IS SHE, AUNTIE MAGUMI??!! YOU SAID SHE'D BE HERE!!" Ayame began to sob, followed by Sazume.

"W….what are you saying?" Kenshin asked in almost a whisper…his voice cracking.

Magumi covered her mouth, and looked out into the rainy wind, starting to get worse.

"Kaoru….she's---the girls came back alone….and Ayame said that she was trapped under a fallen branch!! We went to find her….but we must have found the wrong place!!! Oh god…..no. She was unconscious too when Ayame and Sazume left her to get me and Dr. Genzai! She's still out there…..She could…..she could….." The expression on Kenshin's face made Magumi stop talking.

The plate in Kenshin's hands slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground, shattering.

"…..n……..no……." He stuttered, and ran out into the rain, beginning to come down harder.

He looked up at the sky.

In the distance, lightening clattered across the sky with thunder.

His red hair flew about in the wind.

"Sir Ken?? What are you doing??!!" Magumi exclaimed to him. 

Kenshin didn't look back at the others. "I have to find Miss Kaoru…." He was letting his heart talk for him now.

Magumi shook her head wildly and ran out into the rain.

She grabbed onto Kenshin's arm. "NO!!! I WON'T LET YOU GO OUT INTO THE STORM LOOKING FOR HER!!! YOU'LL END UP SICK YOURSELF!!!"

Kenshin pulled his arm out of hers carefully, and then stared out the dojo gates. "I don't care if I get sick. I would be sick inside anyway if I stayed here and let her die out there all alone, hurt and cold."

With these words spoken, he rushed out into the wind.

"COME BACK SAFLY, KENSHIN!!!!" Yahiko called after him.

"What are you saying, Yahiko???!!! Why are you cheering him on???!!!!" Magumi screeched at the boy.

Yahiko turned away from Magumi's angry face. "You'll never understand, will you?"

"And what's **_THAT _**supposed to mean???" Magumi hissed.

"Feh! You guys should come inside. _All _of you. We'll wait for Kenshin to get back with Kaoru, and things will be fine." Yahiko explained.

He tried to sound cheerful…partly. But inside he was so scared for both Kaoru _and _Kenshin.

*Bad things happen. That old guy wasn't joking around…..* He thought to himself as the others came into the dojo to dry off and wait for the rurouni to find the trapped Kaoru….and bring her home safely.

~OH GOODNESS!!! YOU GOTTA KEEP READING, K?? GO!!!! *Sweat drop* lol~

~Smile B~


	4. Chapter Four It was worth it to find y...

~Chapter Four- It was worth it to find you~

Kenshin ran through the dark streets in panic.

The rain had filled puddles already, and he ran through them without care.

He was beginning to get soaked, but he could think it mattered less.

All he was thinking about was Kaoru.

All he could wish for was Kaoru.

Even the police weren't out now…and all the streetlamps had gone out.

*The forest* He reminded himself, and dodged into the trees.

Next thing he knew, he was even more surrounded by darkness, and it was hard to see.

His kimono shirt was drenched, but he pushed back the limbs and bushes in front of him and hurried to find Kaoru.

*Please be safe. Please be okay. Please…..Please…..hold on. I'm coming!* He cried in his mind.

After about 15 minutes of non-stop searching, he paused to catch his breath, then he spun around looking in every which way.

He felt lost.

He felt alone.

He felt un-able.

Un-able…..to find her.

His eyes were burning now with hot tears. "KAORU!!!!!???! WHERE ARE YOU!!!!!!??????? PLEASE ANSWER ME IF YOU CAN HEAR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

~With Kaoru~

"K….Kenshin….." She whispered as she began to open her eyes.

She found herself staring up into the rain from the ground.

Again, Kenshin cried out, and she heard, but her voice was so hors she couldn't call back.

She tried to get up, but a sharp pain went through her when she tried to move her left leg.

"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" She screamed out in sting.

Kenshin heard.

"KAORU!!!!" He cried out, and rushed towards her scream.

He literally threw himself past the wind and rain as lightening lit everything up just long enough for him to see the branch Kaoru was trapped under.

He ran with all his might to it, and found her still laying on the ground.

She was awake though now, and when she saw him, she found her voice, and cried out.

"K….Ken….shin…." She managed to get out, and reached up to him.

The first thing he did was fall to his knees and hold her close to him.

This shocked her.

"Kaoru!!!!!!! Oh god!!! I'm so glad I found you!!!! I'm so glad!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He almost began crying right in front of her!

She couldn't help but start to herself.

"L….Look at you. You're soaked! You're gonna get sick, Kenshin!"

"I COULDN'T LET YOU DIE OUT HERE!!!!! NOT EVER!!!" He cried, and pulled her as close to him and possible.

She could feel his heartbeat up against her chest.

It was fast.

He had been terrified…she realized….that he might not find her!

Was she really that important to him?

She prayed that she was more….and then some.

Oh how she prayed.

After a moment or so, he pulled back and looked her in the eyes.

"Can you move?"

Kaoru looked down at her left leg crushed under the branch. "Everything but my left leg. I don't know if it'll hurt if I try to move it though again. Let me see…."

Kenshin held onto her and she tried to pull it out again.

The sharp pain came back though.

"NO!! IT HURTS!!!!! AHHH!!!!!!" She cried out, and Kenshin put his hand on her leg to try and stop the pain.

He felt tears in his eyes again. "How can I…..get you out without hurting you??!!"

Kaoru began to sob through the pain and the feeling of being trapped.

"Kenshin…don't go anywhere. Please don't leave me alone. I was so scared."

Kenshin shook his head. "I would never leave you alone, Kaoru. Don't worry about a thing. I'll get you out. I promise."

Kaoru nodded and rested her head in Kenshin's lap.

Despite the freezing wind blowing around Kenshin, his kimono getting saturated now, Kenshin began to dig out some of the mud around Kaoru's leg.

His nose began to run and he felt dizzy, but he didn't care.

Kaoru watched his face as he worked.

It was so determined.

She felt so valuable for the first time.

Like someone cared for her _so _much that they would risk their own life to try and save hers.

Finally, Kenshin dug out enough dirt, and now began to push with all his might on the branch.

Calling it a branch was an understatement though! It was more like a whole tree!

Nevertheless, he tried with all the strength he had in him to free Kaoru so he could take her home.

Time was forgotten.

He was sure it had been over an hour since he had left the dojo.

Thunder rolled overhead, and rain began to turn to tiny bits of hail, but it wouldn't stop the rurouni.

"Alright….I'm gonna try again, okay? Hold tight." He said.

She nodded.

He then started pushing the tree back one way, and pulling her leg out the other way.

Finally, it slipped out slowly, and was at liberty.

Kaoru took deep breaths now.

"Try to move it." He said, holding it gently in his mudding hands.

She nodded, and tried, but once the movement occurred, she screamed out in pain, and shook her head wildly. "It hurts too much. I can't…."

She clinched her teeth, and then felt warm arms around her.

He was holding her again, but this time, his heart was beating at a normal pace.

"W…When you left the dojo with the girls earlier…..I….had this feeling I'd never see you again." He explained, a tear running from his violet eyes. "I'm so grateful that I found you. Let's…go home now, okay? Everything will be all right now. Miss Magumi and Dr. Genzai are both at the dojo right now and they'll fix your leg up and I'll take care of you until it heals. I promise."

Kaoru felt her eyes widen as she stared up into the rain.

She felt Kenshin's body shivering. "Okay, Kenshin. I will take care of you too…if you get sick. You're shivering, you know."

Kenshin nodded. "Yes…but I have to get you home first. You can't walk, so I'll carry you."

After this was said, he picked her up and held her tight.

The rain and hail were so cold to him….but he wanted to get her home.

He began to walk, making sure that the wind and rain were kept away from Kaoru as he cradled her in his arms like a child.

Kaoru stared up into his face.

His expression was still determined.

His breath was shaky though.

He was cold.

She tried to warm him by pushing herself up into his chest more and pressing herself there….but it didn't seem to work.

She watched his face again as she tried once more.

His frown turned into a smile when he realized what she was trying to do.

"D…Don't worry about me, Kaoru. Just worry about yourself right now." He said softly.

Kaoru didn't listen. It only made her try harder to keep him warm.

As he trudged onward, carrying the limp Kaoru in his tired and weak arms, he tried to imagine what everything would be like from then on.

He and Kaoru would be so much closer.

He would spend more time with her….and make the dojo feel more of his home like Kaoru wanted him to.

He wanted to be home finally.

With his own family.

He realized he had had it all along…he just didn't pay attention until now.

Ayame.

Sazume.

Dr. Genzai.

Miss Magumi.

Yahiko.

Sanoske.

Misao back in Kyoto and the rest of the Oniwobon group.

Yutaro Tsukayama.

Tae.

Tsubome.

And of course…..

Kaoru.

Yes, these people were his family!!! How could he not see it until now?!

It made his heart sing though to know that these people were a family to him.

**__**

His family.

*When we get back home, Kaoru, I'm going to live every day the happiest I can. I'll appreciate everything you do for me, and everyone else….because I just realized I received the one gift I wanted most in my life. Even if it took 28 years to get…..I'm so appreciative. Thank you…..Kaoru.* He said to himself in thought.

As if Kaoru had read his thoughts, she spoke. "Kenshin…you've always appreciated everything me and the others do for you…and you've always lived with happiness on the tip of your shoulder. And you've always been…..apart of this family. Because you are the one who gave it to me too."

Kenshin stopped walking and stared down at her.

She was smiling.

It finally hit him that he wasn't thinking to himself whenever he said all those things before.

He was starting to lose himself in that rainy night, but he thought he was okay.

He smiled back down at her. "Thank you, Kaoru."

She nodded.

Lights started to come into view as Kenshin walked through some bushes.

It was the main street! And the streetlamps had returned back on!

He tried with all his might to quicken his pace.

To get home.

As he stepped onto the road, he turned for the dojo.

It was one block ahead.

With each step, he felt weaker, but he wasn't about to give up now.

Not when he was so close!

When he finally made it to the gate wall, and followed it with his hand to the gates themselves, Yahiko was sitting on the porch wrapping in a blanket, waiting for them to return.

When he saw the drenched Kenshin, looking pale and weak, and the limp but awake Kaoru in his arms, he stood up immediately and cried out.

"HEY YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!! KENSHIN'S BACK!!!!! AND HE'S GOT KAORU WITH HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HURRY!!! GET THEM A TOWEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Kaoru stared up at his face. "Kenshin….you saved me…..but you look pale now that I see your face in the light. Are you going to be okay?"

Kenshin wore a smile of triumph on his face. "O…Of c..course." He was shivered at he talked.

The next moment, Yahiko, Magumi, and Dr. Genzai were surrounding the two.

"Kaoru!!!?? Your leg!!! Is it broken?!" Yahiko cried out as Dr. Genzai took Kaoru from Kenshin's arms and wrapped her with a towel.

She shook it away. "Don't worry about me right now! Get Kenshin inside and warm!!!!"

Kenshin stood there for a moment.

The people in front of him began to blur in his eye-sight.

He looked down at Kaoru. "…It was worth it to find you….." He spoke in a tattered up voice, and then lost himself, and fell into Kaoru's arms in front of him as she knelt on the ground.

Kaoru stared down at his motionless body in shock and terror. "K…..K…..Kenshin? Kenshin??!!!! KENSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

~OH GOD!!!! MUST GO ON AND READ TO FIND OUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO KENSHIN!!!! ORO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~

~Smile B~


	5. Chapter Five All in due time

~Chapter Five-All in due time~

Candles burned softly in the dim room Kaoru sat in.

A quilt was wrapped around her shoulders, but she continued to shiver.

Her left leg was bandaged up and enveloped firmly, but her whole body grew numb with pain.

She stared off into another world as the shadow of herself danced across the walls around her.

Across the room, a screen door opened, and Yahiko came out with a pouch in one hand, and a cup of tea in the other.

He walked up to Kaoru and set the cup of tea down on the floor in front of her, then knelt down, opening the pouch, and poured a white powder into the hot liquid.

"Dr. Genzai told me to give this to you. It's….for your leg so it won't hurt so much tonight." He spoke in almost a whisper, because it seemed like a sin to speak in this atmosphere.

Kaoru's blue eyes, grown dark as she had been in numb shock for so long, turned to him and stared into his brown eyes.

"K….K…..Ken….sh--" Yahiko put his hand over Kaoru's lips before she could finish the rurouni's name.

He knew if she spoke it aloud, she would realize what was happening, and tears would fall.

Oh how they would fall until that rurouni returned to himself again.

Kaoru's eyes slightly changed into blue again as she looked down at the tea, and picked it up.

For the first time in about an hour, she felt warmth in her hands.

She sipped the tea after about a minute of staring into it blankly.

She smelt the tea's scent as she set it down again, and remembered once when Kenshin had made that very same tea, and loved it so much that he asked if she could buy it more often.

That was long ago though.

Suddenly, Kaoru felt her heart sink into her stomach……….

and she finally realized.

Her first cry was a mournful yell that echoed throughout the dojo.

The cry turned into tears and loud sobs.

The water ran down her cheeks like the world was ending around her.

Yahiko was almost afraid to try and calm her.

"….K…Kaoru…" He said quickly.

Kaoru put her face into Yahiko's lap and grieved for what she was worth.

Yahiko just sat there.

There was nothing he could do….

~In the other room~

"I hear her now…" Magumi stated in a whisper.

Dr. Genzai lifted his head and heard Kaoru's mournful cries in the other room.

His old heart grew sorrow for her.

In the futon at Magumi and Dr. Genzai's knees…..was the form of a sleeping rurouni.

Kenshin.

Magumi put a washcloth in a bowl of ice water, and then placed it over Kenshin's forehead carefully.

"Oh Sir Ken…….if only you hadn't gone out there to find that busho girl. Then you would be safe and away from this illness." She felt like crying, but kept a tough heart.

Dr. Genzai checked his wrist to see how his heart-rate was doing.

His breathing was rough and hors.

Cold sweat grew on his body.

"What do you think he has?" Magumi asked the old man.

Dr. Genzai sighed and sat back. "I hate saying to tell you the truth. It's worse then I thought. ….do you know how long Kenshin was out there looking for Kaoru?"

Magumi thought. "I think it was a good hour and a half…..why?" She grew nervous.

Dr. Genzai pulled off Kenshin's kimono top, and washed over his hot skin with the washcloth. "If he was out there that long….and he's this bad after only being back for an hour…….I believe……he's caught pneumonia."

As he spoke this, Magumi felt her eyes burn with tears. "Sir Ken…no…..It can't be!!! That is one of the worst things to catch this time of year!!! Please tell me there is a way to cure him, Dr. Genzai!!" She exclaimed.

Dr. Genzai's eyes glinted as she looked over Kenshin's body.

His bangs stuck to his forehead with sweat, and his breathing became more harsh.

"I think we can try and save him. I can whip up a remedy that has worked in the past……but if it doesn't work……." He paused and looked towards his doctor bag he had brought with him just in case.

Magumi followed his eyes to the bag, and stared. "What?"

Dr. Genzai's heart softened as he thought for a moment of how to respond. "….in that bag, Miss Magumi….there is a needle. Inside the needle, there is something that doctors use when there can be nothing else done for a person when they have a bad illness or infection….and they'd go through misery in death if they didn't die before the worst comes. I've never had to use that needle before……….but if Kenshin doesn't show progress with the remedy I prepare for him, and continues to get worse…………he'll just slowly fall into a coma and die after a few weeks. Instead of having him go through so much pain though……I'd give him that needle…..so that he won't suffer."

Magumi's hands were over her mouth now.

She was holding back her tears.

Dr. Genzai saw the terror on her face, and placed his hands over hers, and took them off her face. "I only said if he doesn't show any progress with the remedy. He most likely will, and he'll be fine in a few days. Don't worry."

Magumi's terrified expression turned to angry.

Her fists tightened. "This…is all Kaoru's fault!!!! THAT SELFISH BRAT!!!!! IT'S ALL HER FAULT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed.

"Hush now! Kenshin needs his rest!!!" Dr. Genzai exclaimed.

"NO!! I HAVE TO LET HER KNOW WHAT SHE'S DONE!!!!! HER PITTIFUL SELF HAS RUINED SIR KEN'S LIFE FOR THE LAST TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Magumi screeched, and then stood up quickly.

"Miss Magumi!!!! Come back here!!!! Don't bother her!!!" Dr. Genzai shouted after her and got up to follow.

In the next room, Kaoru still laid in Yahiko's lap, her cheek rested on his knees.

Yahiko's hands were on her back, and he caressed her for comfort.

She had finally settled down, but tears still covered her cheeks, her skin flushed greatly.

Suddenly, the screens opened to the room, and there stood a horrifying Magumi, glaring down at Kaoru's weak body.

"Magumi? What is it? How's _you know who_?" Yahiko asked, feeling that nothing was wrong.

Magumi's eyes shot down at the boy, then back at Kaoru.

"He'd be fine if it weren't for _her_!!" She sniffed, heaving a finger towards Kaoru's back.

Kaoru didn't respond.

She knew it was her fault that Kenshin was sick.

She didn't need to be reminded.

"WELL??!!! AREN'T YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING? ARE YOU GOING TO ARGUE LIKE YOU NORMALLY DO?? OR THROW A FIT LIKE A LITTLE CHILD??? I'M WAITING!!!" Magumi shouted with rage.

Yahiko's eyes glinted as he stared up at Magumi. "God, Magumi. What's your problem? Kaoru's in enough pain as it is!! Go away!" He hissed, being his usual protective self.

Magumi's eyes shut tightly. "STOP PROTECTING THAT BITCH!!!!! SHE'S THE ONE THAT CAUSD THIS TO HAPPEN TO SIR KEN!!!!!! SHE'S ALWAYS THE ONE TO RUIN HIM!!!!!!! HE DOES ALL THIS STUFF FOR HER, AND ALL SHE CAN DO IS GET HIM INJURED, OR CLOSE TO DESTH, OR SICK LIKE NOW!!!!!!! SIR KEN HAS PNEUMONIA BECAUSE OF HER!!!! _PNEUMONIA_!!!! IT'S ALL HER FAULT!!!! EVERYTHING IS HER FAULT!!!!! WHY CAN'T SHE JUST LEAVE SIR KEN ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOD LORD, HE COULD DIE TONIGHT BECAUSE OF HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WISH SHE WOULD JUST-----" 

"Whoa whoa!!!!! What's going on here???!!!!! Magumi, stop!!!!!!" A familiar voice filled the air.

Yahiko, Magumi, and even Kaoru, crying more upset now, turned to find Sanoske standing in the doorway of the dojo across the room, soaking wet, but otherwise fine.

"LIKE I WAS SAYING, I WISH KAORU WAS THE ONE SICK AND DYING!!!!!!!!!! THEN EVERYONE WOULD ALL BE HAPPIER, AND MAYBE THEN SIR KEN WOULD BE ALRIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Magumi screamed, and then ran out of the room.

The 3 left in the room heard the backdoor to the dojo slam shut.

Sanoske turned to Yahiko sitting on the floor with Kaoru, now cradling her in his small arms as she whimpered in sorrow.

"W…..what'd I miss?" He said, not meaning to be playful like he usually was.

Yahiko had him sit down, and as she rocked Kaoru in her arms, he told the story from the very beginning. From the time in the afternoon where they found out a storm was coming in, to the time where Magumi first came in screaming at Kaoru.

Sanoske's eyes were wide and his breath was lost. "………so……..Kenshin has pneumonia now and Magumi thinks it's the missy's fault?" He questioned, trying to get the last part of the story straight.

Yahiko nodded.

Sanoske's heart ached. "Damn…..I wish I hadn't had left the other day. I could have helped out a lot if I had stayed. I feel so bad now."

Yahiko shook his head. "Nah. It's not your fault."

"I….I…..It's…..m…..m…..mine t…though." Kaoru's small voice managed to whimper out.

Sanoske looked down at Kaoru in the boy's arms. "Aw, Missy….it's not your fault. Defiantly not. Don't listen to Magumi. She's just upset right now like everyone else. She just tends to take her anger or sorrow out on other people and not herself. She should have blamed you for Kenshin's illness."

He rested a hand on Kaoru's back for comfort.

Kaoru shook her head and looked up at the two above her.

These two…they were apart of her family. She could tell them anything.

She knew they cared about her dearly…..even if Magumi didn't.

She blinked away some tears. "B…But it **_is _**my fault. If I hadn't have gone out to take Ayame and Sazume home, and had just let Kenshin go as he originally planned to….this never would have happened……I never would have been trapped out there, and he wouldn't have had to risk his life to save me and end up dying in the process……NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kaoru, saying such things aloud to others, made her scream with fear.

The thought of losing the rurouni tore her insides apart, and her heart bled with sorrow.

"Kaoru, it's not your fault! You gotta take it from us at least!!" Yahiko blurted out, wanting her to stop crying.

Kaoru sobbed harder though.

She wouldn't believe what the boy tried to convey.

Sanoske looked into the other room real fast.

Dr. Genzai had a torn up expression on his face as he worked on the remedy he spoke of to Magumi minutes before.

His eyes were drawn down to the limp body laying in the futon below Dr. Genzai's feet.

*Kenshin…you jerk. I know you. The missy says it's her fault….but I know it wasn't. You could have stayed here at the dojo and not gone out for her….but instead you did….because……* His thoughts stopped.

He looked back to Kaoru, and placed his hand on her back once more.

"Missy, listen. I know things….and….I know Kenshin. It wasn't your fault that he's sick now. He went out there, and he probably figured he'd come down with something….but he did it all for you. He could have chose not to, but he did it anyway. That's how he is, plain and straight."

Kaoru looked up from Yahiko's arms and stared into Sanoske's eyes.

"…And I know…..that he would hate to see you blaming yourself for something he chose to do." He finished, with a smile.

He read Kaoru's face, and knew she understood.

Even though it still hurt inside to be in this situation….it was nice to hear something more like it wasn't her fault.

Her sobs were delayed only a little though.

Sanoske stood up, and decided to go find Magumi.

Even though he knew she needed her space to think things through for herself, he wasn't about to let her stand in the middle of the wild storm while doing so.

Yahiko looked back down at Kaoru. "Here…."

He pulled from his pocket a handkerchief, and she took it slowly.

She sat up and whipped her tear away.

She sniffed, and then she seemed to be more calm, although her body still shook.

"Where are you gonna sleep? Here or in your room? Cuz if you're sleeping out here, I'll stay with you." Yahiko offered.

Kaoru looked around her.

The room was dark, and getting cold.

But it was the closest room to Kenshin….and she'd sleep outside in the rain if it meant that that was how close she could get to him.

"Here is good." She spoke in a rusty voice.

Yahiko nodded. "Right. I'll go get our futons, and a water bowl."

As the boy Kaoru so greatly appreciated got up and ran to get his deeds done, Kaoru continued to sat and began staring off into space again.

She wanted so badly so see Dr. Genzai come out of the room next door with a smile on his face indicating that Kenshin was awake, and wanted to see her. And that he'd be fine most certainly.

Her heart and hopes lifted so suddenly when she heard Dr. Genzai walk towards the doorway of the room! But to her utter disappointment, he only shut the screens, and a candle went off in the room.

All became quiet.

She wondered what was happening.

A moment too soon, Yahiko reappeared with futon blankets and pads in his arms.

He set them up, one beside Kaoru, and one close by for himself. Then he set out a bowl filled with water, and a washcloth for their faces.

"Y…Yahiko? Can you get my some water. I'm so thirsty." Kaoru spoke in a tiny tone.

Yahiko smiled weakly to her, and then rushed out to fetch her water.

Kaoru's eyesight returned to the hallway, and the shut screens in which Dr. Genzai and the sickly Kenshin were behind.

She waited for some sort of sound to come from the darkness, but nothing occurred.

She felt worry pour over her, but she tried to force it back. *No…you must stay strong. For Kenshin. He would have done the same for you….and in fact he did. How he did….so much that he may not…….be with me…..any…more….*

She shut down her wondering thoughts as her blue eyes shadowed behind her bangs.

Soon Yahiko came in and handed her the cup of water.

The boy had been so helpful, but Kaoru say the tire in his eyes.

"Go to bed now, okay? Thank you for everything." She said up to Yahiko and tried her best to grin.

Yahiko nodded and sat down on his knees in front of her. "I…I know I'm still just a kid and all, and I may not know much…….but……" He jumped up and hugged her from around her neck. "….I hope things get better…..and I hope…..no….I pray that Kenshin wakes up by tomorrow. That he'll make it through tonight, and be fine tomorrow like nothing ever was wrong!"

Kaoru wrapped her arms around the boy and felt him tremble a bit.

He was shedding tears for her and for Kenshin.

Of course though.

She and Kenshin were the first family he got back, followed by everyone else…..but to him, she was like his older sister……and Kenshin….was like his older brother. 

He looked up to Kenshin in such a manner that it was hard for her to see Yahiko doing so well with the Kamiya Kashin style without the rurouni around to guide him!

Kaoru shoved her thoughts away once more. "…Yahiko……K…Kenshin wouldn't know what to believe if he saw you like this…crying over him. H…He'll…be okay. He won't leave you…" She stared up at the ceiling, searching for an answer, "…or _anyone _else."

Yahiko sat back and wiped his tears away with the back of his sleeve.

He managed a smile on his lips. "If you tell anyone about this I swear you're dead by sunrise."

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Kaoru laughed slightly.

"Get some rest. We'll see what's going on tomorrow." She stated to Yahiko.

The boy nodded. "Yeah. But you get some rest too. God knows you need it."

Kaoru met eyes with the boy once again and smiled.

She watched him get into his futon.

She crawled into hers as well, drinking her water before laying down.

Yahiko blew out the candles burning beside him, and then the room fell under darkness.

The whole dojo was quiet.

The only thing that could be heard was the sound of the storm outside.

The rain was falling on the roof above their heads, and every now and then, thunder rolled into their ears, and lightening lit up the outside.

Kaoru was not afraid though.

At least not completely.

She heard Yahiko's slow breathing soon.

He had fallen asleep.

She wondered how long she had been laying there, but soon, she realized, her eyes adjusting to the darkness, that Dr. Genzai had come out of the room, closing the screens behind him.

She sat up and stared towards the old man that had taken care of her ever since her father had died.

"D…Dr. Genzai?" She whispered, trying to let him know she was awake.

The man turned to her, and walked over to the edge of her futon.

His expression was hard to read in the shadows.

"Kaoru…you should be asleep. Your leg is broken, and it needs for you to settle down for the night." His old voice spoke.

Kaoru lowered her head. "I…I know. I was about to go to sleep when I heard you come out of the other room. Um…..how…..is Kenshin?"

Dr. Genzai tensed up at this question. "Well…it's not certain how he is really. I mixed up a remedy that I will try to get him to follow. It's the only medical and logical remedy I know that treats cases like this one. It's worked every other time in the past…so…I'm looking forward to seeing how he's doing in the morning. Nevertheless, his case….is rather severe. I'm not sure if….he'll follow the remedy well. I'm just telling you the truth, Kaoru. I don't want to lie to you and tell you he'll be on his feet in no time. That would be wrong. Especially seeing how….he's so important to you."

Kaoru stared into the old man's eyes. 

She felt her own pricking with the hot tears once again. "W…when will…I be able to see him?"

Dr. Genzai put a hand over her cheek. "Tomorrow, I promise…you can stay with him as long as you like."

Kaoru felt herself lifting all of a sudden. "Thank you so much…..oh god, thank you. I didn't think you'd allow me to stay with him at all! I promise…I'll take care of him…and I'll make sure he gets better."

Dr. Genzai smiled and held the girl he still remembered as a child. "All in due time, little Kaoru….all in due time."

~Oh goodness. I love this job! ^_^ Go on to find out what happens next, okay?~

~Smile B~


	6. Chapter Six No one knew what to expect

~Chapter Six-No one knew what to expect~

The morning took forever to arrive. 

Kaoru had lay in her futon all night wondering, and she couldn't remember if she had fallen asleep, or just stared at the ceiling and the walls all night.

However she had spent her time in darkness, she was aroused in the early morning, before the sun rose, by the screens to Kenshin's room being opened, and a person rummaging around inside.

She knew it was Dr. Genzai, checking up on the rurouni.

She closed her eyes after a moment. 

She hoped that her step-grandfather found good results.

How she prayed….

It wasn't long until a bit of light could be seen filling the halls.

Yahiko was still sound asleep in the futon across from Kaoru.

Sanoske had fallen asleep in another room of the dojo. Magumi on the floor in a corner resting her eyes in yet another.

The little Ayame and Sazume slept in Kaoru's room, undisturbed the whole night from the storm.

It was at this time, when Kaoru felt a hand on her shoulder, and she was shook slightly.

"Kaoru? Are you awake?"

It was Dr. Genzai.

She opened her eyes slowly and found the old man staring back at her.

"Y…yes. What is it?" She answered back.

Dr. Genzai smiled gently towards her. "It's early and fresh. Why don't you take your quilts and head into Kenshin's room. I checked on him about an hour ago….and….he seems to be progressing."

Kaoru sat up quickly, remembered her task she had set out to do the night before. "Right, thank you Dr. Genzai! I'll go in right now….okay?"

Dr. Genzai nodded and stood up from the floor. "Just call me if something is happening."

With those only instructions left behind, he walked out of the room, most likely heading towards the kitchen to have breakfast.

Kaoru wasted no time.

She stood up and gathered a bundle of quilts in her arms.

It was cold that morning, and she was going to give one to Kenshin.

As she walked across the hallway, she looked down towards one of the doorways.

She could see rain falling outside the screens.

The storm was over, but rain still fell.

Somehow it suited the day.

She looked towards the screens that Kenshin lay behind, and was almost nervous to see what he looked like.

Would he be sick-looking and paler then snow? Or would he look normal, only sleeping?

There was only one way to find out.

She put her hand on the screen handle, and slowly pushed it open.

She looked behind her to see if anyone was watching.

No one was.

It didn't matter, but she wanted to be alone for this.

She turned back around, and waiting as the screens opened more and more.

Her hand left the handle a moment later and dropped down to her side.

Her heart was numb again.

There he lay, under a thin sheet, a washcloth on his forehead, and a calm look on his face.

She could hear her heart beating in her ears as she closed the screens behind her, so that it was her and only her in that room…..and the sickly rurouni.

She dropped to her knees very delicately, and spread the 2 quilts she had taken with her apart.

She hesitated when she decided to put one of them on him.

He seemed so…..so fragile and innocent.

She leaned over him, and stared into his face, almost afraid he would wake up and see her staring down at him.

But he did not wake.

She reached over and took the cloth of his forehead.

She put it in a near by ice-filled water bowl, and then replaced it a moment later.

She felt his cheeks.

She smiled and her heart was glad when they weren't hot, indicating his fever was going down.

"You're going to be okay…..I promise. Whether it was my fault or not that you're in this situation….I swear I'll make you better." She whispered.

Somehow it almost felt like he could hear her.

Maybe he could.

She hoped he did.

If he could, and it didn't matter if he really couldn't, Kaoru continued to speak with him.

"I…I brought you one of my blankets. It's rather cold this morning. I don't want you to get worse, you know." She said as she covered and tucked the other quilt over his body.

Her nervousness went away after a good half an hour of just sitting there and talking with him.

She realized how tired she still was, and stared into his face from her seating spot beside his futon.

"Do….you mind if I rest beside you?" She hesitantly asked.

If he could hear her, she would be so embarrassed.

But it didn't matter, she reminded herself.

If he got worse, and she couldn't predict if he would or not, then she wanted him to know somehow how she really felt.

She rolled herself into the other quilt she had brought, and laid beside him.

She got a little closer.

She was so entranced by his sleeping face.

She reached across him and placed her hand over his heart.

She felt him breathing, and his heart was beating softly within his chest.

She heard someone outside the room, and pulled her hand back from his heart, and put it into her covers.

She didn't care if they found her sleeping beside his futon.

But no one ever did come into the room.

She was somewhat thankful.

She closed her eyes, and fell into slumber.

~2 Hours later~

Kaoru awoke to Kenshin's breathing getting hoarser again!

She sat up and almost instinctually knew what to do.

She got a cup of water from another water bowl, and put it to his lips.

Surprisingly, he drank as if he was awake, only slower.

She smiled weakly and took the warm cloth off his forehead again to make cold.

As she let it soak, she wished inside that he would wake up and find her doctoring him like a child.

But then again, it was silly to wish that.

She just wanted him to know that she was trying to make up for what Magumi told to her the night before.

That she was selfish and stubborn and only cared for herself.

It hurt to bad inside.

She wondered if Kenshin would have done anything if he had been awake and heard Magumi say those things.

"Kenshin…" She said aloud, and parted his bangs.

His hair was all matted in the back.

She giggled slightly. "I hope we can get those tangles out of your hair when you get better. I'll help."

When she saw him almost smile with her, her heart jumped.

It had only been her imagination though.

When she blinked, the smile on his lips had run away, and all that was left was the calm, content-filled look.

Better then a look of pain, she decided, and placed the now cold washcloth back on his head.

A knock on the door almost scared her, and she opened it from the floor quickly.

"How's he doing?" It was Dr. Genzai.

Kaoru grinned. "Very well, actually. I'm glad. Maybe he'll wake up by dinnertime!"

Dr. Genzai smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "He looks fine to me as well. You've been doing a good job. Any coughing?"

"No." Kaoru replied. "But his breathing was a little rough earlier. I gave him some water though, and he seemed fine after that."

Dr. Genzai walked to the other side of the futon, and knelt down.

He checked his temperature, and smiled when it finished. "It's only up about 100.0! Last night it was 100.5. To tell you the truth, Kaoru, I wasn't sure if he was going to make it. But now….he seems very good. It's almost noon at the moment. I'll give him more of the medicine I've made for him, and see what happens. You never know, he may as well wake up by dinnertime like you wish he will!"

This comforted Kaoru in such a way she couldn't describe.

All she could do was feel pleased and smile down at the sleeping Kenshin.

After another 10 minutes, Dr. Genzai left the room.

A good feeling was left behind.

"You're doing so good, Kenshin. I told you you'd be okay! You see! I was so worried….but you'll wake up soon….and……thank god for everything." Kaoru hugged her arms and leaned against the wall, smiling at the rurouni continuously.

This was such a wonderful feeling she could never describe to anyone.

Maybe Kenshin felt it too….beneath his sleeping face.

~In the Kitchen~

Yahiko sat and ate an apple as he stared outside at the never ending rainfall.

He sighed. "Geez, when's it gonna stop? We don't need bad luck anymore then we already have! I swear that Fu Young guy's pretty amazing!"

"What're you talking about, Yahiko?" Sanoske questioned, rummaging around for a snack.

Yahiko shook his head. "You mean you've never heard of Sir Fu Young?? He's the greatest fortune teller in all of China, and he's gotten really popular here in Japan too! But yeah…the other day I saw him in town talking about a huge storm coming in, and how it was gonna cause tragedy, so everyone should be on the look-out! Well, tragedy _DID _happen! Kaoru broke her leg, and Kenshin got sick cause he went looking for her in the bad weather last night!"

Sanoske stared out at the rain with Yahiko now, chomping down on another apple. "I guess I've heard of this guy. I can't believe someone like him actually isn't a fake! Lots of things he says that's going to happen usually always happens. But do you really think that the missy getting her leg broken, and Kenshin getting sick are both tragedies?? I don't. The missy will be fine in a few weeks, and I heard the old man sayin that Kenshin might even wake up this evening! Nothing that big."

Yahiko had a worried look on his face as he watched Magumi outside walking with Ayame and Sazume in raincoats, splashing in the mud, and Magumi trying to stay out of the way so that her kimono wouldn't stain. "Don't jinks it, Sano. Kenshin……might get worse again. You never know."

"And you're saying **_I'm _**jinxing it! You just got done saying that you don't have faith that Kenshin'll get better for the missy and all of us! Dr. Genzai said it himself that he'd be fine in a couple of days!" Sanoske exclaimed, and put a hand on Yahiko's head.

Yahiko was in no mood for games though.

His inner self was telling him that something was going to take a drastic turn again.

Not the storm particularly…..but…..maybe Kenshin's illness.

~Outside~

"Auntie Magumi!! Look' it all the puddles the rain has made!!" Little Sazume exclaimed as she ran and leaped into one.

Ayame ran after her little sister happily.

Magumi giggled when she saw the girls covered in mud, slowly being washed away by the falling rain.

Magumi shifted the umbrella she held over her head, and looked up at the clouded sky.

This was a good way for the girls to keep their mind's off of their sickly beloved Kenshin still not awoken yet….but for her, she couldn't forget the night before.

She couldn't forget what she said to Kaoru before taking off.

After that, Sanoske had talked some sense into her…and now she felt bad for saying what she had to Kaoru.

She hoped she could forgive her soon.

All she could do though now was leave her be, and concentrate on other things.

Dr. Genzai opened a screen, and sat on the dry porch watching his granddaughters play in the mud.

The wind chimes dingled and dangled in the falling rain.

Magumi walked over and sat on the edge of the porch.

"How is he?" She asked without looking at the old man.

"His temperature is going down now. Kaoru thinks that he may wake by this evening. I'm hoping that's the case. I'd hate to lose him. I really would. It would hurt all of us….especially Kaoru."

Magumi looked to Dr. Genzai now with questioning in her eyes. "How so?"

The old man watched Ayame and Sazume giggle aloud when they found a frog in one of the mud puddles, and began to chase after it. "Well, Miss Magumi. Kaoru wasn't always alone. She had a mother and a father who loved her very much. She had friends, and cousins. A family spread out where she was never alone at all. Like you, and I, and all the others. We all had a family and we all were once never alone. But…after her mother and father died, and her friends moved away, and the wars killed other family members she loved dearly….the poor child was left all alone….at only the age of 8. I took her in after that, and kept the dojo as well. I tried my best to keep her company, but it wasn't enough. She's been alone for so long, Miss Magumi. When Kenshin came along…..that was the beginning of her new family. She made it all on her own. But it began with Kenshin, you see. That rurouni made her family into what it is today….and I know….that Kenshin cares a great deal for Kaoru. I don't know how much…..but I know he sees her in a high way. It would kill Kaoru…..to have Kenshin die. I don't think she'd ever get over it."

Magumi stared off into space.

What Dr. Genzai had told her hurt, almost to the point that tears walled in her eyes as she finally understood what Kenshin was to Kaoru.

"Uncle Ken would like this one, wouldn't he?" Ayame's little voice stated aloud as she pointed to a rock on the ground.

"Yeah!! It's all shinny and pretty!! We can give it to him!!!" Sazume replied.

The rain still fell.

All was so still.

Something in the air shifted slightly.

No one knew what to expect.

~Oh no!! What don't they expect!!?? Gotta read on the find out!!! Hurry!!! Lol….I need to chill out, huh? ^.^''~

~Smile B~


	7. Chapter Seven The shifting of the wind...

~Chapter Seven-The shifting of the wind, and the name that plays over and over like a broken record~

The afternoon progressed in a slow fashion, then rain outside seeming to never have an end.

It was as if time had suddenly stopped…..for Kaoru and the rest of the dojo residence anyway.

Tae and Tsubome had come over to see what was going on with Kenshin, after getting a message that morning about the incident that had occurred the night before.

"I…I can't believe this." Tae spoke with a quiver in her voice. "I just spoke with Kenshin yesterday afternoon! Everything was just fine! But now….this has happened. I just can't seem to let it all sink in. It happened so fast."

Sanoske and Yahiko sat in the dinning room with Tae and Tsubome facing them.

"I know. I can't let it sink in either. But…Dr. Genzai said that Kenshin might even wake up soon! And Kaoru's leg will heal soon enough. Everything will be A ok in just a few more days! You'll see!" Sanoske tried to be cheerful for everyone.

Yahiko stared at the floor.

"Y…Yahiko?" Tsubome's small voice spoke his name in a worried way.

Yahiko looked up at the girl his age.

"Please try to look on the bright side of things. I know it's hard…but…" Tsubome shut off her voice.

Yahiko smiled at her. "I'll try, Tsubome. Thanks."

While their meeting went on, Magumi spent her day with the girls.

She found that it was a stress-reliever, and the fact that Dr. Genzai had spoken of Kenshin's awakening perhaps being that evening, she was in a better state of moods.

"Do you like it, Auntie Magumi?" Sazume held up a picture she has finger painted with black ink.

Magumi smiled at the 2 year old. "It's lovely. What is it of?"

Sazume was happy to explain. "This is me, and that one is Ayame, and this one is Uncle Ken! He's taking us to buy things and get food for miso soup! We always make miso soup!"

Magumi felt the child's warm intentions towards the sickly wanderer. He had been more of an older brother to them then anyone had. She couldn't help but imagine how it would be when Kenshin would wake up, and Ayame and Sazume would run into his arms and probably spend their days with him at his futon while he re-gained strength.

It was such a pleasant thought.

She was almost certain that things were going to be different soon. Things were going to get better for everyone!

She prayed in her heart that they would.

~With Kaoru~

Kaoru leaned against the wall she had been sitting in front of all day.

It was maybe about 4 in the afternoon now….perhaps even 5.

She had her eyes closed, and she was trying her best not to go to sleep.

She had a job to do! Even though it was a slow one.

The sudden out-burst of coughing was what shot her eyes wide open and brought her to Kenshin's side once more.

"Kenshin?" She whispered down to him.

Her loose hair fell over her shoulders.

She scanned over his body with her eyes.

She noticed shivering, even though there were many blankets covering him!!

"Oh no! Um…I'll be right back! I'll get you more blankets." She exclaimed.

She threw open the screens for the first time since dawn, and ran to a pantry nearby that held quilts.

She returned not a moment too soon and wrapped the blankets over Kenshin body, tucking them in at the sides.

She caught her breath. "Is that better? Are you warm now?"

His shivering seemed to stop, but now sweat began to build on his forehead again!

She threw off the covers she had put on, as well as the ones he had had on originally, and opened up his kimono top.

His chest moved up and down rapidly!!

His fever was returning….

Fear fell over her.

She got the washcloth and put it in the cold water, then ran it across his chest, up his neck, and to his forehead.

She felt his body.

It was burning up!

Her heart raced with panic now. "Kenshin…Kenshin how can I help you!!! How can I???!!!"

She remembered to get Dr. Genzai if anything happened.

She saw a painful expression come over Kenshin's face.

He was no longer in peace.

He was burning up with fever.

She felt so helpless to do anything!

"I….I'll be right back, okay? I swear it." She insisted upon him.

As if he understood, he seemed to try and hold onto what consciousness he had left in him.

Kaoru ran out of the room, and through the halls.

"DR. GENZAI!!!!!!!! DR. GENZAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She cried.

Sanoske, Yahiko, Tae, and Tsubome heard in the other room.

Magumi, Ayame, and Sazume heard as well.

"DR. GENZAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHERE ARE YOU?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Kaoru??!! What is it??" The old man got in front of Kaoru and stopped her frantic search for him. "What's wrong?!"

Kaoru breathed in and out rapidly. "It's Kenshin…..his fever has returned worse then ever and he's in pain and I can't help him anymore by just doing what I had been. Please go help him, Dr Genzai!!! Don't let him be in pain!!!!!!!!"

Dr. Genzai didn't say anything, and ran to Kenshin's room across the dojo.

Kaoru fell to her knees on the floor.

Everyone looked out into the hall and watched as she began to sniffle and attempt to control her tears.

"…Kaoru…" Magumi's voice was saddened at the picture played out in front of her.

But there was nothing she could say or do to make Kaoru change her mind about how this situation hurt her so bad.

And speaking of hurt….Kaoru also cried because in doing so much running about, she had forgotten about her leg, which throbbed and began to swell through the bandage now.

Yahiko was the one that stepped out to help her. "Kaoru…"

The boy watched as Kaoru got up with all her might, and began to limp down the hallway back to Kenshin's room, holding her balance on the walls.

"She won't stay away from him for long, you know." Sanoske explained after Kaoru turned a corner up the hallway.

Everyone looked to the brown head.

Yahiko's heart hurt.

Magumi took the girls into the room they had been in so that they wouldn't see the sadness outside, and Sanoske took Tae back inside the dinning room.

But Tsubome stepped out into the hallway with Yahiko, and they stood out there long after both screen were firmly shut.

Yahiko's shoulders tightened and shivered. 

Slight sobs came from him.

"…Yahiko…." Tsubome stepped forward and ran to the boy, and wrapped her arms around him.

This stunned Yahiko, but he accepted the gesture by not pushing away like he would have normally done.

Tsubome cried with Yahiko.

The halls were quiet again except for their small cries.

~In Kenshin's room.~

When Kaoru reached Kenshin room again, the screens were wide open.

She took it that she could walk in.

Dr. Genzai knelt over Kenshin and felt his burning chest with his hands.

"….D….Dr. Genzai….." Kaoru's voice entered the old man's ears. "Was it me? Am I to blame?" Her voice was tattered.

Dr. Genzai turned to the girl and shook his head, his eyes softening on her weak with fear image. "No, Kaoru. It's not you. You did a fine job. Please sit and help me. I'm sure…if you're here, Kenshin may feel your presence while I'm inspecting him, and he will feel more at ease."

Kaoru nodded and limped over to the other side of the futon.

Dr. Genzai saw Kaoru's swollen up leg, but didn't say anything.

She tucked it under herself as she sat down anyway.

All she was concerned about was Kenshin.

She stared into his pain-filled face, and tears walled in her eyes.

"It appears…" Dr. Genzai began explaining. "…that Kenshin might have gotten over the pneumonia today….but that is not a common thing. Usually sever cases such as this one take weeks to recover from. And when it takes more then a couple weeks…..then……"

He paused and looked up at Kaoru. 

Her face read so much hurt. He didn't want to say what he was going to, but he didn't want to lie to her about it either.

"…Then the person if unable o be healed, and has to be given a shot. This shot." He pulled from his doctor's bag a needle. "This little needle holds the key to saying goodbye….too early. I've never had to use it…..but I know doctors that have used it…..and…..it's a painful thing to do, let me tell you. But it would be more of a pain to watch the person suffer into……death."

"Y…y…..you mean to say…..that shot……just…kills the person. Like an animal being put to sleep?!?" Kaoru's voice cracked.

The old man nodded with hesitation. "But….I'm sure that Kenshin won't get that bad. Actually, I'm almost certain. I….I'm not sure though. His case is more sever then any other I've seen. In his condition now, it's almost as if he's been under a comma for weeks. It's only been a day though. Not even 24 hours yet. I'm a little afraid……"

Kaoru's breathing was sharp. She was trying so hard not to spill over in utter panic filled sorrow.

It was hard not to though.

She managed to clear herself up quickly though, her eyes hidden beneath her dark bangs. "…………………………..You might have to give him that shot….correct?"

The silence that came over the two of them answered the question.

Kaoru shut her eyes and bit her bottom lip so that it wouldn't quiver. "…I see…."

She sat there in silence as Dr. Genzai gave Kenshin more of the remedy he had made for him, and then wet down his body.

He put the thinnest sheet over his body up to his mid-chest, and then stood up.

"I noticed your leg is swollen from your running. Take some pain reliever. It's labeled on a bottle in my bag. That should help it feel better." Dr. Genzai spoke in a timid way, and then shut the screens softly behind him as he left.

It was 6:30 p.m. already.

Kaoru hadn't moved a muscle for the longest period of time.

Kenshin wasn't breathing rapidly anymore….but when she looked him over, his forehead was sweaty again.

She took the washcloth and wiped the sweat away.

She brought the cold material to his cheeks.

She saw his face again.

He was in pain.

She lifted her hand from where it sat on the floor, and put it on his cheek.

She held it there.

She leaned over him and laid her head on his chest.

"Kenshin……….can….you hear me? If you can…please…..let me know. Give me a sign that you're listening……"

No sign came.

None….

This stung her heart.

Maybe he couldn't hear.

"Please……wake up." She pleaded softly to him.

Nothing…..

She closed her eyes and listened to his heart beating.

She began to sing a song she had once heard him sing before.

She knew he had enjoyed it once from somewhere…..so she sang.

When she was done…the stillness fell over her, and she made herself fall asleep right where she was.

It didn't matter to her if others saw.

This….was the only was she knew to help him.

So she stayed there.

Right there.

Trying to pray to whoever would listen…..trying to let them know she needed their help….to save the only person that ever stayed in her life for so long….and had given her so much joy.

~Later on~

His coughing returned about 8:30 p.m. that night.

Kaoru had missed dinner sleeping there with Kenshin, and the room was pitch dark now except for a candle burning in the corner of the room.

She figured Dr. Genzai had come in and lit it, but it had actually been Magumi.

She wouldn't know that ever though.

Kenshin's coughing was worse now.

His breathing was crackly and hoarse.

Kaoru sat up over him.

Tears streamed down her eyes. "Please…..don't get worse. Please….please. Why isn't Dr. Genzai's remedy working! You should be better by now!!!!!! Please!!!!! OPEN YOUR EYES!!!!!! TELL ME SOMEHOW THAT YOU'LL BE OKAY!!!!" She cried out.

Dr. Genzai and Magumi rushed into the room minutes later.

Like a swarm, they surrounded Kenshin, and pushed Kaoru to the side.

"I'm sorry, Kaoru, but there's nothing you can do now. We have to work on him fast!" Dr. Genzai exclaimed as he tore out his medicines and tools.

She pulled herself back into a corner and let this scene fill her eyes.

Magumi and Dr. Genzai were working madly over Kenshin, while he lay there in pain, sweating madly, and breathing at a fast pace.

Her whole body shook.

She slapped her hands over her mouth, and tried not to scream.

Her world was falling over her…and crushing her bit by bit.

Nothing she could do?

Nothing at all????

Tears were falling from her eyes one after one after one…and her whimpers turned to hiccup sobs.

*Kenshin…..Kenshin……………Kenshin……..Kenshin……..Kenshin………………………………........................* His name repeated over and over in her mind….like a broken record…..without a mechanic to fix it.

~*Tears* Noooo!!!! What next???!!!! Read on to find out~

~Smile B~


	8. Chapter Eight And everything was once ...

~Chapter Eight-And everything was **_once _**perfect…~

"Come on Missy." Kaoru heard Sano's voice speak softly like a brother would a younger sister.

Then she felt his strong arms pick her up and carry her away to another room.

She didn't want to open her eyes, but she did.

She saw her futon she had slept in the night before all ready to be slumbered upon once again below her.

Sanoske set her down on it, and pulled the covers to her chest. "Are you warm enough?"

Kaoru was so confused.

She felt completely drained of energy to ask what was happening, or why Sano had put her here instead of leaving her be in the corner of Kenshin's room, so she nodded very weakly to him and did nothing more.

Sano stood and smiled at Kaoru.

She could see through the dark. 

"Get some rest now. It's 11:45 p.m. I'll see yah in the morning….okay?" He spoke again in that gentle tone.

Kaoru hummed and rolled over on her side.

She heard Sano's footsteps as he exited the room.

She began to listen for things around her.

She started to hear Yahiko's soft breathing across the room from her, and the rain still falling on the dojo roof outside continuously.

Things seemed rather peaceful, but then she began to hear something that wasn't so peaceful.

It was coming from across the hallway in Kenshin's room.

She stopped breathing to hear what she could of Magumi and Dr. Genzai inside the screens.

"How much longer do you think he'll be able to hold onto what little life he has left?" She heard Magumi's tattered up voice ask.

"I…..it all depends on how much he wants to stay alive now. He's not conscious though….so he may…….just leave us." Dr. Genzai's voice sat, even more tattered up.

Kaoru had barley made out those words….and she wanted to badly to cry out in pain for her heart was shattering……but she couldn't.

She…..felt so paralyzed.

Her body wouldn't make a sound or a movement, and her thoughts were clouded by what might have been sleep or dread.

She managed to part her lips and whisper into the air the name that had belonged to the one person that had made everything so perfect.

"….Kenshin………"

~Clouded Dreams~

Kaoru opened her eyes and heard echoes of something or someone all around her.

She narrowed her eyes to try and see into the atmosphere in front of her, but all she saw was black.

Nothing but black.

But then….one by one….stars began to dot the blackness, and it brightened just a tad.

She wrapped her arms around chest, and began to walk.

"H…Hello?…..Is anyone out there?" She questioned.

All of a sudden, a huge echoed bang sounded around her, and she fell to her knees in fear.

She felt so dizzy.

She didn't touch the ground under her legs.

She was just…there.

There in the dark place filled with stars.

Only one thing traced through her confused mind though…..

Where was Kenshin? What was happening to him? Was he okay? Would she ever see him again alive and well?

Tears stung her eyes.

"Kenshin…" She murmured in a grieving sort of way.

"Miss Kaoru?" A voice she heard from a distance say.

She jolted her head up from the ground and looked this way and that.

Far in the distance….she saw a form coming closer to her.

Closer…..

And closer….

Until finally, it took the shape of the person she had only thought would come back to her in dreams.

But was this a dream?

She didn't care.

She stood up without even thinking, and ran to him, but when she reached for him to wrap her arms around and sob the happy sobs that he was okay…..she found that she fell right through the form…….and didn't feel anything but air!!!

She whipped around and stared in confusion at the form as it turned around to face her.

"Miss Kaoru…..I'm sorry." The form said.

Kaoru shook her head wildly. "No!! Don't be sorry!!! Why _are _you sorry!?!!"

The form of this Kenshin frowned. "Because you can not touch me….like you could in real life."

Kaoru lowered her head. "So this is a dream then…"

The form shook his head. "Not really, Miss Kaoru….not really. They let me come back….to say…..goodb---"

"NO!!! DON'T SAY THAT WORD!!!" Kaoru threw herself at the form, but stopped inches away from him. "DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT WORD!!!! DON'T YOU DARE!!!!! YOU SAID IT TOO MANY TIMES BEFORE!!! IN REALITY, AND IN DREAMS!!!! I DON'T THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE IN ONE MORE BREATH OF AIR IF YOU SAY THAT WORD AGAIN!! THAT'S THE ONLY WORD THAT HURTS ME MORE THEN ANY INSULT….OR ANY PUT DOWN!!!"

The form wore an expression she couldn't describe.

"…..Are you really Kenshin?" Her voice was shaking.

The form just replied, "I am, but I'm not. I am sort of part of him. He wanted me to….to tell you "that word" though….so that he could feel like he didn't leave you hanging on empty words when he leaves."

"When…he leaves?" Kaoru's voice cracked and her eyes widened.

She then closed her eyes, and looked away from the form.

"Like I said…..I'm sorry Miss Kaoru. That was what I came here to tell you. If you do not let me finish…..I don't think that…"

"Please….just don't." Kaoru stated, and looked back at the form, tearing rimming her eyes. "Tell Kenshin….that……I will never say…..good-bye. Never. No matter how much he wants it, I won't do so! Because he's never supposed to say good-bye!!! Not ever!!!!"

The form blinked and stepped back from Kaoru, but she stepped forward after him. "He….HE CAN'T JUST SAY GOOD-BYE AND LEAVE HIS **_FAMILY _**BEHIND!!!!!!!! NO!!!!!! HE JUST CAN'T!!!!!!"

Suddenly, the form disappeared, and she felt another presence come from behind her.

She slowly looked over her shoulder and found not a form….but a real Kenshin.

Real.

He didn't say anything, but his expression said enough.

She could read it.

It said…..that he didn't want to leave his family behind…..because he never thought he had an actual family……until now. He had never realized how important his family was to him….until now. And he never knew how much Kaoru cared…..until now.

Until now…..

Of all times!

Now……………………..

She saw tears in his eyes.

Those violet eyes.

She had to say something…so she reached into her heart for words.

"…….Don't give up. Please. I know…..it's hard……but……." She lifted her hand and touched his face with her fingertips. He, like the form before him, couldn't be touched….but somehow at that moment…..she and Kenshin felt that contact. "….but…..if you say good-bye now…………or ever……..I don't think I could take losing…..the one person that made me happy again. Like I mattered. Like I was someone worth protecting or standing up for. Like I…….." a tear ran down her face, "….had a family."

These words made Kenshin wish….wish with all his might for something he couldn't bring himself to understand.

It was a desire deep inside him. A will to live.

Even though he was at the edge of the cliff that would send him into death…..he wanted…….to live.

So badly.

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out!!

Kaoru watched this, and tried to read his expression again with a bit of panic.

He, himself, looked frantic to say whatever it was he was trying to.

"Kenshin?" She questioned the air in a whisper.

It was then…that his hand lifted….and reached for her cheek this time.

Kaoru felt her tears falling harder. "What are you trying to tell me?" She wanted to know desperately.

Suddenly, he began to be pulled away by something!!!

"K…Kenshin??!!!" Kaoru exclaimed, and began chasing after him.

Slowly, the forms of glowing hands were visible….seeming to be the cause of Kenshin's pull-back.

They held onto his arms, and legs, and neck, and pulled him away bit by bit.

Kaoru ran with all the strength she had in her. "KENSHIN!!!!! FIGHT THEM!!!!! YOU CAN'T GO!!!! PLEASE!!!! YOU MUSTN'T!!!!!! _PLEASE_!!!!! I BEG OF YOU!!!!! YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WHO EVER MADE ME FEEL LIKE I BELONGED IN THIS WORLD!!!! THAT I COULD STAND UP TALL!!!! THAT I COULD BE PROUD THAT I HAVE SOMEONE AT HOME WHO BELIEVES IN ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KENSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

She suddenly tripped over something, and fell to the ground.

She looked up and watched as Kenshin was pulled down through the dark floor that couldn't be felt.

She felt herself dying.

She screamed out and held herself in a ball, grieving the loss of the person that she cared for so much.

She couldn't tell where she was anymore again.

The stars around her faded.

Everything got blurry and shadowed.

She closed her eyes so that she could somehow wake up from this nightmare…..and find herself in her own room, the sun shining outside through the screens as if nothing had happened……and Kenshin was out washing laundry with Ayame and Sazume….and Yahiko practicing with his boken…and Sano at the accebeko laughing with the guys, and Tae and Tsubome visiting with friends, and Magumi and Dr. Genzai helping patients with simple problems. And Misao and the rest of the Oniwobon group were happily enjoying their times in Kyoto………and things were perfect.

Perfect………………………………....................................

~*sniff* I think I'm gonna cry now!!! Uhhh, maybe not. Well, the story is **_ALMOST _**over!!! Don't give up on it yet just cuz it's one of the saddest parts right now!! You can make it, that you can!~

~Smile B~


	9. Chapter Nine I will never say goodbye

~Chapter Nine-I will never say good-bye~

~Out of dream~

Kaoru's eyes opened wide.

She sat up quickly and touched her face.

It was completely covered with tears.

She looked around her.

Yahiko was asleep in the futon across the room.

Voices came from the other room.

The rain still fell.

She was back in the real world.

She didn't wake up from a nightmare…she just lived it.

She wiped the tears away with her hands.

She remember what had happened in her dream.

She put her left hand over her eyes.

The image of Kenshin being pulled away after he had been trying to tell her something….it killed her bit by bit.

"Kaoru? You're awake?" A familiar voice broke the silence.

It was Magumi, looking in from the hallway.

She wore a sympathetic expression.

Kaoru stared into the woman's face.

"Kaoru…..um…..Dr. Genzai has a favor to ask of you. Uh….could you……come with me?" Magumi's voice was weak.

Kaoru breathed out softly, and nodded, getting to her feet, trying to not put too much weight of her left leg.

She followed Magumi into the hallway, and the lady doctor stopped in front of Kenshin's screens.

She asked for Dr. Genzai to come out, and so he did.

Th old man stood with the 2 girls and shut the screens firmly behind him.

Down the hallway, Sanoske, Tae, Tsubome, and Yahiko, whom had gotten up right after Magumi took Kaoru out of the room, stared and listened.

Dr. Genzai stared up at Kaoru.

Her face was pale and her eyes were swollen and red from crying.

"Kaoru….." He began.

Everyone held their breath. 

He continued. "…..well……Kenshin……..he……..he's not…….going….to make it."

With those first words said, Kaoru felt like she had been shot with a gun, but no reaction could be seen on her face for some reason.

Dr. Genzai held up the same needle he had explained to her about the day before.

And what it would do……

"There's no use in trying anymore, you see. I know…that it has to be well into 2 weeks before a doctor can make this decision….but….in his situation, it's as if he'd been sick for more then 2 weeks." Dr. Genzai kept talking on.

He stared into Kaoru's blank face, and slowly saw it changing to sorrow.

He decided to lay it on her then. "….I'm….giving you the choice though. Kenshin will most likely live another week or so…….and if you would like for him to be around longer….then by all means, I will let him. But he will be in pain and suffer a long and excruciating death. If you…would like for him to go in what little peace he has left…..you can choose….to give him the needle…….and I will let you be the one……to send him away."

He held out the needle. "It's up to you."

Kaoru didn't know why, but she knew that she didn't want Kenshin to suffer.

At the same time….she didn't want to say "that word" she so dreaded.

What to do?

Fresh tears stung her eyes and blurred her eye-sight until she blinked them away.

Everyone in the dojo was silenced by the shock.

Kaoru lifted her hand out…..it was trembling while she reached…..and took the needle from Dr. Genzai's grasp.

She held it to her chest, and lowered her head so that her eyes were hidden behind her bangs.

She stepped into the room…..and closed the screens behind her.

Everyone outside seemed to fall under a depression.

Yahiko and Tsubome shed tears, and Sanoske had to turn away so that no one would see his torn up expression, while Tae tried to comfort all of them.

Magumi covered her mouth with her hands and sat down on the floor to weep.

And Dr. Genzai went….to get Ayame and Sazume.

Turned out they were already awake, and standing in the other hallway, looking confused.

Dr. Genzai knelt down and picked them up.

"Grandpa. What's going on?" Ayame asked.

Dr. Genzai shook his head, and tried to smile so that the girls wouldn't find out what was happening. "Come on…..let's go have some breakfast. I bet you're both hungry by now."

~With Kaoru~

Her blue eyes met the sleeping form of Kenshin.

She felt so….under-control.

She looked down at the needle in her hands, then set it down on the floor.

She sat down herself, and looked down into Kenshin's face.

He wasn't looking in pain anymore….somehow.

She put her hands on his forehead, and pushed back his bangs.

"K….Kenshin……I…..I know it was you in my dreams last night. It wasn't just that form. That form came, and then left….and then you came. I know it was you. I know it. You…..were trying to tell me something, but you couldn't. I wish I could have known what it was." She spoke to him in a steady voice, but soon her tears made her voice tremble with her body.

She reached down and took his hand into hers.

She pulled it up to her face, and laid it on her cheek.

She closed her eyes, and tried to feel his warmth.

It was there….but by a thread.

She looked back down at him, and pulled the covers off his chest.

She reached down, and brought his limp body into her arms.

She sat and held him for minutes.

She began to rock him.

She closed her eyes and rested her head on top of his.

"I…I don't want you to suffer. Not ever." She whispered.

She looked over at the needle on the floor.

It glinted a bit in the morning light, even though the rain still fell.

She looked away from it, and held him tighter.

She looked at him in her arms.

Like a mother would her child.

She leaned down and kissed his forehead gently.

It was the only thing she could bring herself to do at such a time.

Tears fell down her cheeks, and hit his face.

She reached for the needle slowly, and took good grip in her hands.

She clutched her teeth together, and rolled up Kenshin's kimono sleeve.

Her sobs grew louder as she aimed a spot.

Her hand was shaking tremendously.

Her heart beat faster and faster.

Her soul felt like it would parish.

She lifted the needle slightly….

She held her eyes shut.

As she began to bring it down though, it being inches away from Kenshin's skin….she suddenly couldn't do it.

She threw the needle to the ground, and cried out.

She held Kenshin up to her and cried into his shoulder.

"OH GOD!!!! PLEASE SAVE HIM!!!!! PLEASE OPEN YOUR EYES AND TELL ME YOU CAN HEAR ME!!! THAT YOU'LL BE OKAY AND THAT YOU'LL ALWAYS STAY IN MY LIFE FOREVER!!!! HOW CAN YOU EXPECT ME TO KILL THE ONE PERSON I LOVE MORE THEN ANYTHING???!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!! PLEASE!!!!!! WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!! WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She cried, tears streaming from her eyes.

"I WILL NEVER…..NEVER SAY GOOD-BYE!!!!! YOU HAVE TO SWEAR ON IT THAT YOU'LL NEVER SAY GOOD-BYE EITHER!!!! BECAUSE IF YOU DO SAY THAT NOW….IF **_I _**HAVE TO….IF I AM FORCED TO……..I'LL JUST….I'LL…..I'LL DIE MYSELF AND I'LL LIVE ABANDONED…COLD…..and….alone……like how it always was….when father and mother died. When everyone I ever loved died or ran away. I have no one else…….I HAVE NO ONE ELSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Everyone outside the room heard her words.

Kaoru held Kenshin and grieved and sobbed over him, her hiccup cries making it harder to breathe.

After about 20 minutes of weeping…..Kaoru laid Kenshin down in his futon again, and rested his head on his pillow.

She sat and held his hand, still crying, and rocking herself back and forth.

Her whimpers glistened in the air around Kenshin.

Her hand in his, holding tightly on……..and soon she noticed something.

She felt it.

His hand grasped her hand.

She looked down and saw with her own eyes.

"…..Kenshin…." She sniffed.

No response was made. But soon, his hand tightened around hers.

She closed her eyes, then opened them again.

His hand slowly let go of hers after about 10 minutes.

She felt so numb and paralyzed.

She breathed in deeply, trying to stop her hiccupping sobs, and then looked into his face.

"…..like….I said……..I will never say good-bye…………**_Never_**."

With these words spoken…she let go of his hand slowly, setting in down to his side.

She took one more look through her watered blue eyes at his face.

"I miss you." She whispered.

She stood up…..and didn't look back.

She opened the screens, and stared out at Magumi…and Sanoske….Yahiko, Tsubome, and Tae.

Dr. Genzai was in the other hallway, listening in, making sure that Ayame and Sazume wouldn't come out of the kitchen.= to find the tragedy un-fold.

Kaoru looked away from everyone after a moment, and held up the needle she had retrieved after throwing it to the ground.

"….I won't let him suffer. He is so strong….and he's had to fight his whole life. He doesn't need to anymore. He deserves to rest……and not have to be in pain. But I….am not as strong as him…..and so……could someone please go get Dr. Genzai?…….and have him…….take the needle from these hands of mine….." She spoke in a quivered voice.

Without anything said, Dr. Genzai stepped into the hallway where everyone was, and walked up to Kaoru.

He nodded up to her, and took the needle gently from her hands.

When the needle was no longer touchable to Kaoru, she brought her hands to her chest, and held them to her heart.

Dr. Genzai looked at all the others, and then walked into the room, closing the screens.

Sanoske lowered his head, and Tae and Tsubome held one another.

Yahiko couldn't take it, and left the hall to go outside.

Magumi looked over at Kaoru.

The girl seemed lost in time. 

Paralyzed in the moment.

Finally, Kaoru turned, and began to walk out to the back door.

When she passed Magumi, the doctor reached out and put her hand on Kaoru's shoulder.

After a moment, she let go, and Kaoru continued her walk.

Things got quiet again.

~With Yahiko~

The boy sat outside on the dojo front porch, watching the rain fall softly now.

"…Kenshin…." He murmured in a tattered voice.

He began to wonder how he could go on with his lessons to become as good of swordsman as the rurouni had been….without him around.

Maybe he would quit….but then he didn't want to because he made a promise that he would be as good one day.

His heart began to hurt.

He had looked up to Kenshin for so long.

He admired him in such a high way.

….How he would miss him utterly.

"….I won't…..say good-bye though…." Yahiko whispered.

Those words had just suddenly appeared to him naturally!

He heard the screens to the front door open and someone stepped outside.

"hey…" It was Sanoske.

"…Hey……" Yahiko replied.

Sano sat down beside the boy and said nothing fro a while.

"I…couldn't stay in there. Too depressing. I guess the missy had a good idea to leave too. …I wonder…how the Oniwobon group will take the news……Poor Misao. She'll be mortified." He started to say.

Yahiko nodded.

Nothing else was said ago for a long time.

"…I….I just….." Yahiko's voice was trembling.

Sanoske turned to him with worry.

The boy continued. "….I just can't believe……that…..Kenshin is actually gone! He's gone Sano!! I can't get it to soak in!!….H…he'll never come back!! I'll never see him again!!!! I…I can't see tomorrow anymore!!"

Sanoske closed his eyes.

"….why……did he have to--" Yahiko was suddenly cut off by something!

Sanoske noticed the sharp cut off of his sobbed words, and opened his eyes again.

Yahiko was starting up at the sky in disbelief.

"What is it?" Sano questioned, puzzled.

Yahiko stood up…..and slowly, a smile crept over his lips.

"…..oh my……YEAHH!!!!!!!!!!" He exclaimed.

"What's the big deal?! Why are you so happy all of a sudden!!!?? This is NO time to be cheerful you know!!!" Sanoske angrily snapped.

"No!! No! It's….IT'S JUST LIKE THAT FU YOUNG GUY SAID!!!" The boy stated with laughter in his voice.

In the sky where Yahiko glanced…the clouds began to part…and….the sun began to come through!!! Shining down on the land all around!!

Sanoske stood up too…now interested in why Yahiko was happy.

Yahiko's brown eyes held the tint of the sun's rays in them. "Before I left to come back to the dojo that other day…when I first heard about the bad karma of the storm…..Sir Fu Young added at the very end…..that even though the times would be bad…….the sun would again shine….and things would be okay again. Things would be safe and peaceful for the Meiji!! For us all!!!"

Sanoske stared into the sunlight with Yahiko.

They just stood there……and somehow, Sano began to smile too.

The storms that passed by seemed to sing through the air as the sky cleared up above… "No one has to say good-bye today…"

~^__^ YAY! Finally got some happy in these chapters, huh?? Lol, but what's gonna happen next?????????????????????? ^.~ Read to find out, kay!~

~Smile B~


	10. Chapter Ten Our Family

~Chapter Ten-Our Family~

Kaoru's bare feet walked down the empty streets of Tokyo near the dojo gates.

She was lost in a trance….as if she was in some sort of death period which she couldn't make herself awaken from.

But why would she want to?

Not even the greatest of possibilities could put a smile on her face now.

She stared at her muddy toes, and watched them move forward in a slow motion…one after the other….down the dirt road farther into town.

The rain around had been coming down rather well….but all of a sudden….she noticed a change in the atmosphere.

For some reason…..

She stopped walking.

The rain stopped with her.

The breeze brushed away the dark bangs from her eyes….and the blue tint from what must have been the sun, shinned up onto her cheeks, reflecting from the ground!

She heard someone whispering to her!!

*…This voice……..* She thought to herself.

She slowly lifted her head towards the sky.

Her eyes widened when she saw what she did.

The blue sky.

Something she thought she'd never see again!

She hummed a bit through the wind as her lips parted in complete wonder.

"…the…….sun…." She whispered, and closed her eyes to let the soothing rays warm her cold skin…and dry away her tears.

She heard the wind singing.

She couldn't understand….but it was saying something of reassurance.

She heard fast footsteps from behind her suddenly.

"Kaoru!!!" Cried out Magumi.

Kaoru turned around quickly to face the doctor.

Magumi was breathing heavily. "COME QUICK!!!! IT'S SIR KEN!!!!"

Kaoru's heart felt a sensation of some sort over her, and she knew to chase after his name and run back to the dojo as fast as she could carry herself!!

She flew past Magumi, whom followed her in a speedy way as well.

But not nearly as speedy as Kaoru's feet were taking her.

Her loose hair flew about in the wind she created as she turned the corner into the backyard of the dojo, and into the courtyard.

Heaving herself onto the porch, she threw open the back screen doors, and stopped dead in her tracks in the hallways leading to Kenshin's room.

Everyone…was there.

Yahiko, Sano, Tae, Tsubome, Ayame, and Sazume.

Magumi came in through the backdoors from behind Kaoru, and when she passed Kaoru, she smiled.

They all smiled!!!

What was going on??!!

The sunshine flooded the dojo now.

It was so beautiful.

Too beautiful for the situation…..but maybe it had changed!

She didn't know what to do.

She just stood there in confusion.

Just then, Dr. Genzai opened Kenshin's screens, and stepped out into the hallway.

His smile was so broad.

So very broad.

He nodded to everyone, and then looked to Kaoru, still standing in the doorway.

"Kaoru…go on in." He said with his grin.

Kaoru nodded ever so slightly…and lifted one foot in front of her, and then the other, which was now swollen up again because of her frantic running she had done.

She partly limped as she came closer to the screens.

Dr. Genzai turned the everyone, and then led them into the other room. "We'll come back in a minute, okay?"

Kaoru nodded to the old man, and then turned back to the screens.

She put her hand on the wood.

She was so nervous!

What would she find behind the doors now?

With one steady heartbeat, she slid the screens open with care.

First she saw the futon still being occupied by the rurouni.

But when she stepped in……that very rurouni had his violet eyes open…..staring at the sunlight pouring into the room.

She closed the screens gently so that they wouldn't make a sound….but she was in complete disbelief.

Her eyes were stinging with new tears now….but they weren't tears of sorrow.

Tears of joy!

Her voice was shaky when she finally spoke. "…K….K…Kenshin…" She said this in a whisper.

He heard her, and turned his head slowly to find her.

When his eyes met her form, he smiled. "Kaoru…"

She shut her eyes tight and ran to the futon. "KENSHIN!!!!"

She fell into the futon with him, and wrapped her arms around Kenshin's body, sobbing with happiness.

Never in all her life had she felt such glorious contentment within her.

She cried into him and just held him.

For so long….

Kenshin, still weak, didn't move, but after about 15 minutes or so, he managed to lift his arms and wrap them around Kaoru to return her joyful embrace.

It was a good half an hour before Kaoru collected herself, and sat back on the side of the futon, smiling with all her glory at the awake and looking much better Kenshin.

"…But….how? I don't understand." She started to say, wanting to know how this had all happened.

Kenshin smiled up at her. "Well….Dr. Genzai explained to me what he was about to do before I woke up. Not my idea of a good ending, that it most certainly is not!" He paused a bit while Kaoru laughed at Kenshin odd sense of humor.

He continued. "But…I guess…..no one really knows what happened. I can recall something though. All I can remember…..is….someone crying and telling me to never say good-bye. I don't know who it was. I remember though. I think….I know who the sobs belonged to now. I can also remember, well, partly, that I'm supposed to tell something to someone. Some time before I awoke, I think I made contact with someone's dreams. I was at the very end of my rope…and that dream somehow made me stronger."

Kaoru listened to his weak words, and nodded.

She hadn't expected him to lift his hand from his side and lay it over hers gently.

She looked down at it.

She took her other hand and closed it over his.

The rurouni smiled again. "Thank you." 

Kaoru held his hand tighter. "For…what?" She was blushing.

He was glad to explain. "Because….you are the one who kept me alive so many times. I could be dead right now…..and you would be all alone. I remember hat you told me. To not give up. I remember the women that took care of me when I was a child tell me that as well…to never give up…and to stay alive for the people I care most about. You see….I didn't….I didn't think I had anyone like that. I lost my blood family when I was only 5 years old…and from that day onward….I never referred to anyone as my family…or any place as my home. When I was the Battousai, I had no reason to want to care for others. I was the blood-thirsty beast that no one could love. When…I became a rurouni…11 years ago…I never expected to get back what I had lost so many times before. People who actually wanted me to stay alive and actually live."

Kaoru could see tears in his violet eyes as he went on. "But now….you showed me that I **_DO _**have a family. I **_DO _**have a home. I **_DO _**have people who want me to live. I have _you _to thank for **_everything_**….Kaoru."

Kaoru felt so important all of a sudden.

She closed her eyes. "And I……have you to thank…..Kenshin Himura…….for…….." She paused, and opened her eyes to see if he was listening.

He watched in full attention, so she continued, staring into his eyes. "….for…..being the….one who is **_my _**family."

Kenshin's eyes widened.

So that was that then.

They were one another's family….

And they had been the ones who build the family they had now around them.

Yahiko, Sanoske, Magumi, Ayame, Sazume, Tae, Tsubome, Dr. Genzai, Misao, the Oniwobon, and Yutaro.

All of them.

Their gratitude towards themselves though changed deeply that moment.

For the rest of that day, Kaoru sat at Kenshin's futon.

At about 4 in the evening, everyone joined them.

Magumi had also taken the time that afternoon to write a letter of what all had been going on to Misao and the Oniwobon in Kyoto, and also one for Yutaro in Germany.

Everyone knew that Yutaro would only write back, but Misao may come to visit! She was always a very unexpected girl.

Everyone sat around Kenshin's futon and talked.

Ayame and Sazume were nestled under the covers with the rurouni, hugging and squeezing him, and showing him their pictures they had painted the day before for him.

Magumi and Tae talked with one another, and Tsubome and Yahiko did as well.

Dr. Genzai was making up some pain relievers for Kenshin so that what was left of the sickness wouldn't cause aches.

Kaoru sat beside Kenshin with Ayame and Sazume.

She didn't dare leave his side, even if it meant moving a few inches.

"Do you really like it, Uncle Ken?" Ayame questioned as she pointed to her painting.

Kenshin nodded and pattered the child's head. "It's a masterpiece! I'll keep it always!"

Sazume put on a sour look. "Hey!!! What about mine! Don't like it you??!!"

Kenshin and Kaoru laughed together. "You mean, "Don't you like it?", Sazume. Of course I do! They're both very lovely."

"YAY!!!" The tow girls shouted, and proceeded to hug Kenshin more.

Kenshin laughed so freely.

Kaoru had never seen him so happy before!

Even now…when he was still pretty ill….he was the happiest he had ever been at her dojo.

No…..she decided……**_their _**dojo.

She looked up and around the room.

All these people sitting around and talked, laughing.

Having fun together.

**__**

This was a family.

She was in her heaven again…and the nightmare she thought she lived turned out to only be what she thought all along…..a bad dream.

"Kaoru? What are you looking at?" Kenshin questioned all of a sudden.

Kaoru turned to him and grinned. "I am so proud." She said simply.

Kenshin blinked. "Of what?"

Kaoru's cheeks flushed a bit. "Of our family."

Kenshin immediately noticed the "our" part of her statement, and his cheeks flushed as well.

"Our Family."

~AWWWW!!!! Now see? I told you it was gonna be happy again!!! ^_^ One more chapter to go!!! You can do it, that you can!!~

~Smile B~


	11. Chapter Eleven A content heart

~Chapter eleven- A content heart~

"His recovery is remarkable!" Dr. Genzai exclaimed to Kaoru in the dinning room.

It had been about a week since Kenshin had woken up, and he was slowly getting better day by day.

The sweet spring atmosphere had returned to the outside world.

The birds were singing again! And the skies had never been so blue.

"It's amazing…" Kaoru spoke softly to Dr. Genzai from his first statement. "…We are all so thankful….to have him still with us. I'm so glad."

Dr. Genzai smiled at Kaoru's tender voice when she spoke of the rurouni.

She turned to the open screens and stared out at the sunny day.

Out in the yard, Yahiko practiced his swing lessons, and Ayame and Sazume watched and cheered him on.

Sanoske was down at the dock helping out with a shipment of food which had come in from over seas. He was doing it to earn some extra money (believe it or not) so that he could help out with the dojo's damages, which had come to be because of the storm, and Kaoru hadn't enough money to get them fixed herself.

Magumi was back at the doctor's office again, helping patients of Dr. Genzai's and her own, because Dr. Genzai was still tending to Kenshin.

All in all, things were so peaceful.

Back to normal again.

Kaoru was loving every minute of it.

The wind chimes outside made her wish she could go out and play as if she were a little girl again.

"I…think I'll go check on Kenshin. I haven't seen him all morning." She decided aloud.

Dr. Genzai nodded, and continued to work on some papers.

~With Kenshin~

Kenshin laid in his futon, fresh sheets now, and listened to the birds sing outside.

So lovely…

He was almost wondering to the point if he had actually already died and gone to heaven! But everything was too real for that…and he was happy for it.

The screens to his room opened, and Kaoru looked in on him. "Kenshin?"

His face lit up when he saw her. "Kaoru! Good morning!"

Kaoru walked into the room and sat done in her spot beside the futon.

It had been claimed _hers_, for she had spent most of her time that whole week there with him.

Kenshin looked her over.

She was wearing a purple kimono, and her hair was up with a blue ribbon.

She was so beautiful.

"…How do you feel?" She questioned after a moment.

Kenshin smiled. "Actually…I'm feeling better then I have my whole life. I'll be up in another day or so."

Kaoru laughed. "Ohhh! I see! You just wanna be lazy, right?"

Kenshin smiled up at her.

He had never seen her so happy before either.

Maybe…the events that had taken place removed a gap between them.

He hoped that was the case.

"Do you want me to bring you anything? Some tea? Food?" Kaoru offered.

Kenshin shook his head. "I'll pass. I'm okay."

Kaoru nodded. "Well…"

"Miss Kaoru?? You home?" A voice interrupted Kaoru's talk from outside in the back yard.

Kaoru stood up and went to see what was going on. "Be right back."

She walked to the back screens, and opened them quietly.

Out in the yard, Tae was standing and smiling.

"Miss Tae! It's so good to see you! Aren't you working today though?" Kaoru questioned.

Tae's grin grew. "Well, I was down at the Accebeko opening up for breakfast, when a surprise walked in my doors!"

Kaoru blinked.

Tae stepped a side. "Look who's here to visit us!"

It was Misao!!!

A smile bloomed on Kaoru's face. "MISAO!!!"

She ran to the 16 year old Oniwobon girl and embraced her.

Misao returned the hug openly as if Kaoru were her older sister.

They really did act like sisters most of the time anyway!

"When I got Magumi's letter saying what happened with Himura, I had to come and check things out!" Misao explained, and then with a wink added, "And of course to see my family! I haven't been here since last Autumn!"

Kaoru was filled with joy. "Thank you for bringing her, Miss Tae! Would you like to stay for lunch?"

Tae shook her head. "No…I gotta get back to work! I just thought Miss Misao might need some direction as to how to get here! I swear, these streets are getting trickier to follow every year!"

Kaoru nodded dot Tae, and watched her depart.

Then she turned to Misao and laughed. "I'm so happy you're here! Come on! I'm sure Kenshin is wondering what all the commotion's about!"

Misao nodded, and followed Kaoru into the dojo.

"Awww! It smells so happy! I missed it a lot here!" Misao stated.

Kaoru stepped into Kenshin's room with a smile. "Guess who's here?"

Her blinked. "I have no clue!"

Kaoru stepped back and Misao jumped into the room. "HIMURA!!! I HAD TO COME MAKE SURE YOU WEREN'T DEAD!!!"

"ORO?" Kenshin blurted at Misao's strange way to greet herself.

A few minutes later, Ayame, Sazume, Yahiko, and Dr. Genzai were all in the room, hugging and talking with Misao.

All Kenshin could do was smile!

Practically everyone was there now in Tokyo!

It was a time he never wanted to end…

~A few days later~

Things were quiet again.

Dr. Genzai had returned to his office with Magumi, but had promised to return later on for a dinner.

Ayame and Sazume stayed behind to be with Misao and the rest of the dojo residence.

Kaoru pulled on her favorite kimono, a blue one with white butterflies decorating the sleeves, and a pink ribbon in her hair.

She walked down the hallways to the practice room of the dojo.

Misao and the girls were sitting on the floor painting. 

"Oh! I love your picture, Sazume! It's beautiful!" Misao exclaimed.

Sazume grinned up at Misao, paint dripping from her hands and cheeks. "YEAH! My picture is _good_!"

Misao and Ayame laughed.

Yahiko sat out on the porch, and stared up at the sky, still blue as the sea.

"Good Morning, Yahiko." Kaoru spoke softly as she walked outside and stood beside him, picking up her white parasol from the corner of the dojo, and opening it.

"Where are you doing dressed like that?" Yahiko questioned.

Kaoru put on a sour look. "What'd yah mean "dressed like that"??"

"Won't it get dirty?" Yahiko growled back.

Kaoru smiled into the sunlight. "I'm going for a walk on the hills where the shine is! It's too nice of a day to waste this opportunity! And if my kimono gets dirty, I'll just have **_YOU _**wash it!"

Yahiko grew angry. "I'LL NEVER WASH YOUR CLOTHES!!! NO TELLING WHAT YOU DO IN THEM!!!" He screeched.

Kaoru was already walking out the front gates, her head held high, ignoring Yahiko's babble.

Yahiko cringed. "That stupid..--" "YAHIKO!!!!" Misao burst out from the dojo and tackled Yahiko to the ground.

Misao was laughing hysterically. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! OKAY! NEW GAME! TRY AND CATCH ME! THE GREAT MISAO!!!!"

Yahiko screamed. "UGLY WEASEL!!!!!!!!!!! I'LL GET YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"WHAT'D YOU CALL ME???!!!!" Misao screamed back.

They began to chase one another around the dojo.

Ayame and Sazume just stared in bewilderment. 

"They're weird." Sazume commented.

"You're telling me." Ayame replied.

"What's all the noise out here?" A calm and contented voice spoke from the front screen doors.

The two girls turned around to see who it was, and their faces lit up at what their eyes met, and Misao and Yahiko stopped combating on the ground.

~With Kaoru~

Kaoru's sandals clopped on the shine steps as she walked up each one carefully.

When she reached the top, she bowed to the shine, and then turned off onto a path leading into the hill's trees.

The sun poured down from the trees above her head, creating beams on the ground below her feet.

The tree's were green and spectacular, and the birds sang their songs from the branches.

Kaoru's lips curved into a smile as she came closer to her destination.

Finally, she reached it. The hill top looking over all of Tokyo below, and the ocean off in the distance.

Her blue eyes tinted in the sun. "I knew today would be a perfect day to see this."

She sat down on the ground, and twirled her parasol around and around above her head.

She sighed happily, and stared out into the gorgeous day.

The flowers danced around her.

She only wished a certain someone could have come with her on this perfect day.

Her heart beat in a steady rhythm when she thought of him.

The breeze past her, and she felt so content.

To have a content heart….

That was what she had wanted all along.

She knew that it was the same for the rurouni back home.

The rurouni….

Kenshin Himura.

Things got quiet for a moment.

She couldn't even her herself breathing!

Then…entering her ears was the sound of footsteps!!

Her eyes widened when she saw a familiar shadow fall over her.

She smiled.

"Miss Kaoru?" A voice said.

She turned around, and moved her parasol out of the way.\

Her heartbeat fastened.

"Kenshin! What are you doing up?! I thought you were still in bed!!" She stated.

Kenshin nodded to her. "I woke up and realized I felt just fine and that I didn't need to waste this day sitting in bed. Um…..might I join you?"

Kaoru, completely forgetting her manners, exclaimed. "Oh!! I'm sorry! Please sit down!"

Kenshin did so and smiled. 

For a while, nothing was said.

Then, he spoke. "It's so beautiful out. I've never seen it like this before. Maybe it's just me."

Kaoru nodded, and kept her head down.

She was blushing frantically.

Kenshin watched her for a moment. "You know…I've been thinking…..about what I was supposed to tell someone. I know…I'm supposed to tell **you**. The thing it was….but I just can't recall."

Kaoru made no movement. "I..it's okay. Really! Don't think on it."

Kenshin got quiet again. "…..Everyone told me how upset you were…..when I was sick. They said lots of things I couldn't believe you had done. I…almost feel responsible. I didn't know…I could cause someone so much grief."

Silence….

Kenshin went on….decided to be completely open. "However……….I don't blame you. I would have grieved the same…..if something like that happened to you."

Kaoru's looked up at these words and turned to face Kenshin.

A concerned look came over the rurouni's face for some reason when he looked upon her.

She touched her cheeks and found tears streaming down.

She was crying without her will to control it.

"…Kaoru…why do you shed tears for me?" Kenshin asked, his voice cracking.

Kaoru looked up into his eyes through her watery ones. "B…because……the very thought….of losing you…..rips my heart out…..and kills me…."

Kenshin stopped breathing at her words of confession.

Things got extra silent now.

Slowly, Kenshin picked up his hand, and wiped away Kaoru's tears gently.

As he pulled away when the tears were gone, Kaoru reached up to take it before it could escape.

She held it tightly.

"Kenshin……..promise me……..that whenever you _do _pass on…….." She moved closer to him, "…that……you won't say good-bye to me…when I'm there at your side….holding your hand like I am now…" She whispered.

Kenshin saw the look in her eyes.

Pure wonderment and care for him.

"….I promise…." He replied.

Before he could get closer, she moved away. "…O…okay…" She couldn't face him.

She was so afraid….but of what?

Kenshin sighed and sat back.

He watched as two birds flew across the sky together.

The breeze brushed through her pulled back red hair, and covered his violet eyes. "I'd….better get back to the dojo."

Kaoru's eyes widened when she heard the tone in his voice.

She seemed….to be missing a part of himself now!

He wasn't complete.

Was that her fault?

She didn't look at him as he stood up from the ground, brushing his hakama's (pants) off, and then beginning to walk away.

She listened as he got farther and farther away….

Each step she was losing him……

She shut her eyes tight.

She wasn't afraid anymore!

She wouldn't lose him like this!!

She jerked around quickly. "KENSHIN!!"

He was no where to be seen!

Too far up the road to hear her!

She picked up her parasol and ran as fast as she could after him, trying to mind her left leg, still in pain, but not so much for her to trudge as fast as she could after the rurouni…..who might be lost forever from her heart.

She spotted him up the road now.

She was getting closer and closer.

She ran faster now.

"KENSHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She cried.

He stopped and turned around.

She push herself farther, going faster and faster!

She dropped her parasol to the ground, and threw herself forward.

"WAIT FOR ME……" She stated.

Kenshin held his arms out as she flew into them, and held tightly on.

Her ribbons fell out and her hair floated loosely down her back.

She sobbed into his kimono. "Please…don't forget about me….please…"

Kenshin held her up to face him.

His expression was gentle.

So very gentle.

She had no words for him, and nor did he her.

She just wrapped her arms around him and stood there under the trees, sun falling over them.

Kenshin returned her embrace just as much…and maybe even more.

He pulled her back, and looked into her eyes.

"….I won't forget you……..I will always wait for you……..I will never leave you……because……you are my family…..and you are my home……..and no matter what happens from this moment on……I won't go away. I **_won't _**walk out of this town not intending to come back! I will never say good-bye. Because everyone here cares about me….and wants me to live. I don't think I've ever known anyone to care about me as much….as you. Can you understand that when you were dreaming and I was there…when you said those things to me…..I realized that I couldn't leave! I shouldn't! I will never allow myself to drift again. Because I can't bear the thought of losing you to time and death **either**!!!"

Now…tears streamed down his cheeks as well as she.

They held onto one another for so long.

It seemed like hours.

They stared into the other's face with so much comfort.

There was no more gap now.

Kaoru leaned closer. "……I love you Kenshin Himura….." She whispered.

They held on tighter, and he laid his lips over hers with care.

Their hearts finally beat as one.

The wind swirled around them, carrying leaves with it.

The perfect day became a day that they would never forget.

And as Kenshin pulled apart from her lips gently, and looked back at her with a smile, Kaoru knew that this was the contentment……

This was the peace.

This was what she had been awaiting.

The reason why this rurouni came along one day……and changed her life forever.

About 10 minutes later, Kaoru picked up her parasol and held it over both their heads.

Their feet walked aliened, and their hands were folded together.

It was as if this was a natural thing, but however the situation, they were loving every moment of it.

When they reached the shrine steps, Kaoru's hand tightened around Kenshin's as she turned to him. 

"Let's go home, Kenshin." She smiled.

Kenshin nodded.

Home…..

Back to their family….and friends.

Their life.

The sun shown brightly.

The wind blew lightly.

A contented heart is a pure heart they always say….and two contented hearts……..create the sunshine days…..and give birth to a fresh start.

There is always something new to learn….and it seemed to Kaoru and Kenshin…..that they learned on their own…..that…..

We cry into our hands and wish and pray with all our might to never walk away. To never say good-bye. Those words hurt too much.

*~The End~*

~ALL DONE!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!! ^V^ YAY!!! I hope you enjoyed it! I did! Anywho, please e-mail me for any comments you might have, k? I'll be hoping to hear from you all soon, that I will!

~Smile B~


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